Just as children need to acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities to enable them to read and write, they also need to learn to read television to develop media literacy skills. For example, when Eddie appears in the school playground the camera slowly scans upwards from Eddie’s scruffy, large black shoes to the tip of his head giving the viewer the impression that Eddie is big, tough and formidable. To reinforce this impression, cowboy music plays in the background and Dusting and Eddie begin to circle one another in a stand off. This is just like the cowboys depicted in Hollywood movies.

Some other film techniques that are used in Worst best friends include:

Codes

The organisation of signs into systems that make meaning

1. Technical codes are those that involve Framing and composition

Camera angles

• When Millicent and the girls first go to visit Miss Landers the camera faces up to the old mansion. This makes both the mansion and Miss Landers look powerful and in control and is not at all the way she was previously described by Millicent.
• Miss Landers looks down on the girls. She is not going to be bossed by Millicent).
• Gradually Miss Landers softens towards Molly. This is depicted by peeps through the curtain to see what Molly is doing in the garden and the leaving of drinks, biscuits and cake out for Molly.
• In an interesting twist, Millicent goes with Molly and the others to take a photo for the paper of the girls with Miss Landers. Instead she photographs a hole in the curtain which is a powerful indication of just how mean Millicent can be when she doesn’t get her own way.

Lighting

Use of lighting to create mood occur when:

• Thesaurus’ Mum is by herself in the dark kitchen with curtains drawn. This contrasts with the bright, chaotic and noisy atmosphere at Dusting’s house
• Mum is feeling better she and Dusting go for a walk across a bridge on a sunny day in a beautiful park. Is this a symbol of crossing a bridge in her life?

Sound

The music playing in the background at Dusting’s house creates a bright and jaunty atmosphere, ‘Baby and me don’t fight we hug and kiss all night’. This contrasts sharply to the sombre silence at Thesaurus’ house.

At Dusting’s, the kids play noisily in the house and eat chaotically. This is in stark contrast to the silence and coldness of mealtimes at Thesaurus’ house.

2. Symbolic codes are imbedded in the text and create associations in the viewer’s mind. For example:

Clothing codes include

• sneakers in the title sequence; under the table close ups. Do they symbolise walking in step, being out of step, being deep in thought, feeing nervous or anxious?
• Dusting’s family is unkempt and unregulated
• Dusting has a neglected appearance, this changes when Aunt Edna comes to look after Dusting when his parents go to Tamworth to listen to cowboy music
• Thesaurus and his mother dress in a conservative manner. His father’s appearance changes dramatically when he goes roller skating with Avril’s mother. This is a symbol of breaking free or losing control
• Miss Lander’s eccentric, faded glamour.

Conventions

Conventions can be defined as an accepted way of doing things. For example, fade in, fade out, etc.

Stream of consciousness

At the beginning and end of each episode Thesaurus speaks to us, the viewer, in the first person, via a stream of consciousness.