T.V. Analysis

Decor
In the show this example of decor appears very often. It is in the scenes where he kills his victims, and there is consistency. He wraps up his victims and the whole room in plastic because he is very meticulous about what he does. He works in forensics as a blood specialist, so he knows how much a drop of blood can show as evidence. Another part of the decor is the pictures of the men the victim killed, and Dexter forces him to watch and know why he is dying himself. Dexter does this because he believes very strongly that the people he kills must deserve it and that they must know why they die and understand that they deserve it. He must also make them suffer, shown by the sacrificial methods of killing. Another piece of decor is the location of where he is killing his victim. He is a mechanic and Dexter kills him in his shop. He always kills these criminals in their own setting because he wants them to feel the symbolism of how the killer took his own victims out of their homes and away from their families.

Low-Key Lighting
The contrast in lighting in this shot is very distinct. There is a bright light shining on Dexter and even more on his victim, and everywhere else in the scene is in darkness. The light in this specific scene reminds me of a heavenly light shining down. They are in a church, shown by the stained glass window in the background which appears to depict saints, and part of what looks like a statue of Christ on the cross. There is a small amount of light on that statue, which makes us this that the victim is being related to Christ in a way. This connects these two images because the man that Dexter is killing is a horrible criminal. The same way Jesus had to die in order for man to be saved, Dexter is being justified in his murder because he doing good by removing this bad person from the world. Another meaning of the rest of the room being dark is that Dexter feels hopeless in his real world. From watching the show, we know that he feels alone because of his urge to kill and he can't connect with other people. His victim is a release of these pressures and is a bright light because it is his way out of despair.


High-Key Lighting
As opposed to the low-key lighting, this frame is very brightly lit from all sides. With the exception of a few faint shadows on the subject, he is well lit and clear to see. He is in a wide open room as well as the room being lit, which would make it easy to see him from any side. This is showing him wide open and in full light because Dexter is vulnerable. Even though he is doing what he feels is right, he knows that it is against the law and that he would go to jail for the rest of his life and maybe get the death penalty for what he has done over the years. He feels vulnerable as well because he works for the Miami police department and his sister is a cop there. He likes the rush of investigating cases when he does the same crimes. He knows that he is vulnerable and he likes that feeling, so that is shown with the high key lighting.



Costume
Costume is used in this series to signal what is going to happen. Dexter lives two completely different lifestyles, and he has two completely different kinds of clothes he wears. When he is working, he wears what you see here, and always has his badge. Here he focuses online on law enforcement, and he leaves his secret life behind. We know he will kill someone when he changes into his other clothes. He wears a leather butchers apron when he kills people. Although he is fascinated and obsessed with the sight and characteristics of blood, he is very careful about how he allows the blood of his victims to flow. He even equips himself with a welding mask and rubber gloves so that he can strip back down to his normal clothes and slip right back into his life as if nothing happened. His clothes he wears when he is working is also an addition on to his "act" that he has to put on so people will think he is normal, when really he doesn't care about looking good or pleasing anyone.


Frontality
This scene shows a great example of frontality, with Dexter facing with his shoulders and body square to the camera. It makes him more accessible as a character and helps us understand the situation better. It makes the viewer feel more included in the situation. By having his face pointing straight at the camera it helps us see it better, to know his facial expression and therefore what he is feeling. Knowing this makes the viewer connect with him better and understand his plight, even how crazy that is.


Deep Focus
This scene is very deep focus, because every image and every aspect in this shot is in perfect clarity. With all of his coworkers there, and each receiving an equal focus, it takes the spotlight away from Dexter. This is exactly his goal, because when he is out in the real world he always wants to lie low and blend in just life everyone else. He tolerates this life because he doesn't want people to find out who he really is. As opposed to the killing scenes, where a lot of other things in the background are blurry and out of focus, when he is investigating crimes there is always a deep focus. In addition to that, when he is in the office or out on the streets anywhere else, there is a deep focus. He hides from showing his true side because he knows that he will get caught if people realize that inside he is just empty.


Shallow Focus
This is a good example of a shallow focus shot, because only the subjects are in focus and everything else is blurry and surreal looking. By having a shallow focus, it often signifies that the subject is the only important thing in the shot or that the setting is not a real place. To Dexter, it seems unreal that he actually has real feelings for this girl. After spending his whole life avoiding feelings and putting on a fake face to seem normal, he is finally letting himself actually feel for her and come out of his shell. This new feeling is very strange for him. There is a shallow focus to show that to him, their relationship is the only thing that is important, and there is little to distract the viewer from that.


Close-Up
This shot is a great example of a close-up. It shows every detail of the scene, which is a commentary on Dexter's precision in his work. It shows us how carefully the man was fastened down to the table, with the placement of the wrap on the forehead just the same as it always is. The close up shows the blood-collecting incision made on the cheek, and clearly shows the victim in a lot of pain. In addition to depicting the exactness of the job, it also sheds light on how screwed up Dexter really is. Although Dexter protects himself from touching any of the victim's blood or body, he is very emotional about his kills. He makes a strong point to make them suffer, by symbolically bleeding them out with the cheek cut, and cutting them up, alive. He does this so that his victims spend their last moments remembering what they did to earn this punishment, and to satisfy his hunger for blood and to kill.


Exposure

This scene has a strong exposure modification to it, making the subject and the entire frame glow. This kind of light exposure makes the subject seem angelic or heavenly, and shows that this person means something to Dexter. It is Dexter's dead father who taught him how to quench his thirst for blood by killing serial killers, rapists, and other criminals who would not otherwise have to pay for their actions. He taught Dexter how to cover his tracks, how to seem normal, and how to act in a socially acceptable way as to not arouse attention toward himself. Because of these skills, Dexter was able to live on and still remain unnoticed as he fulfilled his urge to kill. He idolized this man that he even claims to live by the "Code of Harry", who is his father. He often thinks back to times he spent with Harry and how he taught him in a similar way as a father teaches his son to throw a football or how to drive. In this memory, Harry seems angelic with the exposure and we know that it is because Dexter only has the fondest and most respectful memories of Harry.


Crane Shot
This scene is shot from a camera on a crane, because it is looking down on the subject. This scene is after the man was thrown off a bridge onto the concrete below, which we don't know at this frame yet. As Dexter looks up, the crane shot is showing that Dexter realizes how the man died. A shot from above like this gives a feeling of omniscience, like we know what happens because we can see a whole situation play out before our eyes. Dexter is given this omniscience because of his knowledge of blood spatter forensics. He can tell immediately that the man was thrown off because of the blood pattern, and we know as well because we have that all-knowing power from the crane shot.