TV Still Analysis

The still that I am analysing is from season 1 of Stranger Things.

It depicts an alien creature or monster stood in a primary or elementary classroom. We can tell this is a primary or elementary classroom by the poster board behind the monster suggesting that the monster is looking for a young child or children. This is reinforced by the low POV shot that we have which implies that the child or children are hiding in the class watching the monster but it also makes the monster look more powerful and intimidating.

Behind the monster is also a black board and an old TV which may imply that this series is set a couple of decades ago as this is old classroom equipment. Not only this but the monster is a scary looking alien-esque creature that we are unfamiliar with, suggesting that the show’s genre is a sci-fi horror or thriller. The dark cold lighting reinforces this and juxtaposes the expectation of classrooms being well lit, making the audience feel uneasy.

The monster’s stationary stance shows us that it is looking for, and not chasing after, it’s prey, and, as we can see the exit of the classroom on its left, we can infer that it has just entered the room and it scanning its environment which shows that this shot is slow paced and is used to build tension. It creates a sense of enigma, getting the audience to think about questions such as “who is the monster after?”, “why?”, “will they be found?”, and “what happens to them if they are found?”