Analysis of Piers Morgan: Killer Women

This is a medium long shot of the outskirts surroundings of a prison; the mise en scene presents the prison gates and electrical wire, the rural landscape, a prison building. The angle of this shot is low angle portraying the prison location as vast and huge exaggerating the sheer height of the wire walls. The opening sound of this shot is the bell that opens the gate, which is a significant sound as it links with the idea of prison, the sheer hardship of prison and the isolating strict rules you have to obey. This idea is strengthened by the sign presented in the mise en scene saying 'SAFETY FIRST' which conveys the dangers and terrors of prison. The sound cracks like a electricity volt crackling linking with the electric wire preventing prisoners escaping. Over the top of these alarming and unsettling non-diegetic sounds, there is the narration of Piers Morgan talking about these horrific murders and the prisoners talking about their painful experience. The editing is sharp and quick cutting into diverse shots of the location which correlates with the harsh reality of the prison. The lighting is quite warm as the shot is taken outside on a sunny day contrasting dramatically to the cold interior of the prison. Piers is wearing a modern smart suit normally worn in a urban city which contrasts against the rural landscape and prisoners informal jumpsuit.

This is a medium close up shot of a prisoner with a overlapped medium shot of Piers Morgan walking through the prison gates. I think this is effective as it presents the clear contrast between the coldness of the prisoners environment to the normal and warm environment of the outside world. The angle of the shot of the prisoner is eye-level and the shot of Piers Morgan is low angle; the eye-level shot connects the audience more personally into the prisoners horror story. The shot has a colour gradient effect fading from blue to red. The blue represents the isolation, pain and cold the prisoners suffer through their journey at prison. The red conveys danger, vengeful lust and the blood the prisoners are guilty for. The editing is slightly unnerving because it matches with the sound effect of the electricity crackling; it quickly cuts and fades in and out the the two different shots when the crackling of the electricity volts appear.


This is an extreme long shot of Piers Morgan walking down a vast expanse prison room; this expanse effect is created by a slight fish eye lens. The shot is slightly distorted and disorientated which could represent the mental states of the prisoners. The lighting is harsh and artificial which correlates with the depressing cold interior of the prison. The mise en scene shows a bare lifeless room with some chairs and tables against the plain pasty white walls. The room looks very clinical and uninviting as it is lifeless with colour and no character. There is diegetic sound in the background of Piers narrating, talking in depth about the trauma these women have caused.

This is a close up shot and eye-level angle of a prisoner which expresses her sombre and depressed expression. As this shot is presented, the non-diegetic beat drops to a low pitch dramatically conveying and shaping her as an evil killer. The narration harshly contrasts against the non- diegetic sound as someone say's "she is the most dangerous 15 year old I have ever encountered." This paints her a murderous and manipulating character at such a innocent age. 

This is a long shot of a prisoner sitting in a empty, cold and lonely room which matches with the prisoners depressing experience at prison. The shot switches in and out of focus using a disorientated effect with crackling electricity volt sounds mirroring her distorted abnormal mental state. Her prisoner jumpsuit is bland and dull, the blue mirrors the prisoners melancholy and depressing expression. There is a sharp artificial light and a spotlight on the prisoner making her look like a victim when she is actually the killer.

I think Piers Morgan: Killer Women links to my documentary because it has the exact same format I am planning to do in mine as it is a talking heads interview style of a crime genre. Furthermore, I am planning to use very similar shots and angles which are used in this documentary; the close up shots showing the prisoner's expression, distorted effects and lenses, low angle shots, extreme long and medium long shots showing diverse settings. The themes and stories presented in the documentary are very similar to what I am initialing thinking of using as I want the prisoner to be female and to commit a horrific crime. The sound of electrical volts and beat drops has inspired me to use these sounds in mine as they are very effective and heighten the terror and dramatic effect. The warm and cold saturated and contrasted sharp lighting is the type of lighting I want to use as it correlates with the harsh surroundings and location.