The example of mis en scene I selected comes from the opening scene of the episode. I selected this scene because the camera angle — and I might note I find it remiss to ignore camera angle in such things, including movement (a la The Blair Witch Project) — does a few interesting things. At first it appears positioned externally, like a voyeur looking in on an experience, but quickly shifts to the perspective of the students and professor, respectively. There is a narrowing of the lens — much the way an author might illuminate a subject in broad strokes before exploring each in more and subsequent detail.

This transition is an effective way of pulling the viewer in — providing a bit of broad-scale background before assuming an interactive visual role. The diagetic sound and lighting initially represented here did little to augment the aesthetic of the scene aside from, maybe, representing many-a-classroom: dull lighting, the slapping of closing desks, bleak color. It bothered me that Buffy was the only really visible character, despite being the central focus, to wear vibrant color (blue). Enough already.

Next Buffy and her beau embrace, kiss, and indeed the sun goes down, represented visually by a dimming of lights and increased overall contrast (unnatural — think: backlighting — and for me ALWAYS detracts from the experience). There is another representation of diagestic sound accompanied by non-diagetic as Buffy hears something in the distance — a girl singing what sounds like a lullaby: an historic device used to create unease, haunting-ness, the eery. The non-diagenic and emotional invoking music piping in the background serves to enhance this experience. Then — blink — Buffy awakens. She’s merely fallen asleep in class.

But, thematically, is that all that’s occurred? It’s clearly foreshadowing the plot the narrative has yet to play out. The devices in use, under a microscope, do a decent job of enhancing the readability of the experience — my own less-than-approving opinions of the series aside. There is an inherent — however campy* — air of mystery and the unknown about the opening scene that continues to unfold as the narrative progresses (IE: the inexplicable loss of the ability to speak the characters quickly become afflicted by).

In so many ways it follows the model of horror described in the weekly reading: an act of discovery, unknown, curiosity. As the narrative unfolds it continues to follow this model as various monsters of uncategorical and interstitial nature begin to reveal themselves — again the lens begins to narrow, but with enough subtlety and nuance to engage the audience and elicit a greater desire for the satiation of curiosity.

* Yes, I understand the “camp” to be intrinsic to the canon of the series. I still don’t care for it. Though I do care for (some seasons) of True Blood, oddly enough.