Television and film

Call the midwife

In the beginning of the show there is a selection of images shown in black and white  symbolising to the audience that this is a show which is set in approximately before 1966 .A theme tune is played at the beginning of the show which identifies what show is being aired at that moment. We hear diegetic sounds such as busses, trains, dogs barking people talking etc. Fast upbeat aural motif music is used as one of the midwife’s announce Shirley is due to give birth; This is because it creates tension to the audience and excitement and the fast upbeat rhythm portrays the rate of the heart beat.


Dialogue is then used in the opening scene “Don’t leave me mum” illustrating that the lady is going to give birth. Upbeat music is played behind the dialogue of the lady giving birth and the nurses surrounding her. This symbolises the build up of the birth. The slow music had a happy vibe as it included pleonastic sound as she gave birth happily. The incidental music changes into a slow happy instrumental and the baby is born. There is then a voiceover explaining the story so the viewer understands what is going on.


Sound effects is used such as a beep from a horn symbolising the area they live in could be busy. Sound effects of the baby crying, footsteps have been used so the viewer understands the environment of the show. The first lady that gave birth had a eastern accent which could represent her class in society. In another scene the next couple had a posh accent representing that they come from a better background and lifestyle. Noise is used such as the dialogue and the children playing and skipping in the road. This is used to give a naturalistic look on how all the midwifes and community live. Music is then used to set a happy mood as the children were having fun and socialising with each other. When the posh couple get intimate the music starts to play again symbolising their romance and love for each other. One of the midwifes is having a incoming “important call” the two other midwifes sneak behind the wall and try to over hear what she is saying on the phone. Incidental music is played whilst they are whispering to each other.


The music used was slow and had a mysterious touch to it as they are spying on her. It sets a suspicious mood for the viewers as everyone wants to know what is going to happen next. The cockney lady who gave birth is conversing with one of the nurses. During the discussion they tend to pause in silence due to her losing a baby before her recent pregnancy with her new-born. In the next scene we see the cockney lady and her husband running for the bus, they use incidental music which is very upbeat.


The dialogue is of them both laughing setting a funny but entertaining mood for the audience watching. The posh couple is then seen together, the pregnant lady is watched by her husband playing the violin which is seen as very high classed back in those days. They are a educated couple, they also talk in a good manner. The posh pregnant lady goes to the hospital whilst the Cockney lady who just had a new-born is seen sitting down in the waiting line. The posh lady then looks at the noisy children making noise and sits down next to the lady. The noise is very loud as it is a group of children and babies. There is Foley noises of a lady slapping her child as she is misbehaving. There is a scene of one of the ladies bumping into a police officer. The policer officer offers the lady if she wants to go to the ‘pictures’ again. This is when incidental music is used such as slow music symbolising romance.



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