S1, Episode 12: "Prophecy Girl"

Season One of Buffy The Vampire Slayer concludes with the episode "Prophecy Girl", in which Buffy goes to fight The Master despite a prophecy predicting her death. Director Joss Whedon develops the narrative in similar fashion to the first episode; through the use of camera-work, music and costume.

Near the beginning of the episode, we get a slow-motion shot of Buffy rolling away from a vampire, whom she proceeds to kill with ease. This camera shot helps develop character by showing how much Buffy is in control of the situation and how she has become a very confident and able vampire slayer. This idea is important in developing the story because it will emphasise the power that The Master must have to dominate Buffy later on in the episode. The usage of slow-motion shots to show control is in no way unique to BTVS; it has been used in countless action films, from "Die Hard" to "Mission Impossible", to show intricacy and control in fight scenes, and Whedon uses this technique effectively to portray his character Buffy.

CAMERA-WORK: The slow-motion in Buffy's fight at the
beginning shows her control over the situation.

As with the first episode, Whedon uses the film score to convey emotion to the audience. Mid-way through the season finale, Buffy rejects Xander when he asks her to go to the "Spring Fling" with him. Xander leaves, and as Buffy is sitting alone on a bench the background noise of people's chatter fades out and the only sound is sad piano music. This is a subtle yet effective way of showing the audience how Buffy's emotion has drowned out all other noise as she realises she's alone as the vampire slayer. This idea of Buffy realising she's alone and must do her duty as the slayer is important in helping the audience understand her decision to go and fight The Master at the end of the episode. Fading background audio and music is a commonly used technique to convey emotion in the drama genre, and Whedon's use of it in BTVS helps define it as a genre-crossing series.

FILM-SCORE: The piano music after Buffy rejects Xander
conveys Buffy's emotion to the audience.

The showdown at the end of the series sees Buffy venture underground to fight The Master, the evil leader of the vampires who is over 600 years old. In this scene, Whedon uses costume symbolically to help the audience support Buffy on her quest against evil. Buffy is clothed in a long white dress, which stands out in the dark tunnels of the underworld. This portrays Buffy as good, light and pure in contrast to The Master, whose black clothing signifies evil, badness and impurity. Light and dark symbolism is common in film and TV shows, where white can be associated with "heavenly" characters whereas evil always lurks in darkness. Whedon uses the audience's understanding of these conventions to help progress the narrative.

COSTUME: Buffy's white dress in the final scenes
brings a theme of "Good Vs Evil".

Joss Whedon uses a variety of narrative features to develop the character Buffy and progress the story to the audience in his first season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

S1, Episode 1: "Welcome To The Hellmouth"

In the first episode of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer", director Joss Whedon uses a variety of narrative features to create first impressions of the lead character Buffy, which are necessary to develop the storyline.

The first notable narrative feature Whedon uses is costume. 16-year-old Buffy turns up to her first day at school wearing a short skirt and a light-coloured shirt. This introduces Buffy as a cool, fashionable kid, and is typical dress of a hip teenager in sunny California. Buffy's costume is important in developing the narrative because this visual display of what Buffy wants to be (i.e. a cool, "normal" teenager) contrasts with the real life she is forced into as a vampire slayer. Her summery, fashionable clothing is also used by Whedon as a means of creating irony in the series; in most "monster" films and TV shows the young, pretty blonde girl is the helpless victim, however in BTVS it is the girl who is the powerful protagonist.

COSTUME: Buffy's fashionable, summery clothing
shows her will to be a normal teenager.

This idea of Buffy striving to be a normal teenage girl is also established through Whedon's frequent use of two-shots. Eye-level two-shots are used numerous times in the first episode of the series; first with Buffy and Celia, and later with Buffy and Willow. These shots show Buffy's willingness to make friends with other students and present Buffy as a friendly, social character. This idea is necessary to develop the narrative because it shows Buffy's strive to lead a normal life and have friends, which is a recurring theme throughout the series. The frequent usage of friendly two-shots in Buffy The Vampire Slayer helps define it as a unique series in the teen horror genre, as it is a shot more often used in the drama and comedy genres.

CAMERA-WORK: Two-shot of Buffy (right) and Celia
 shows Buffy's enthusiasm to make friends.

Another narrative feature used by Whedon to create meaning in BTVS is the film score. One example of this is when Buffy is yelling at Giles, telling him that she didn't want to get "kicked out of school" or lose her friends while being a vampire slayer. Whedon brings out Buffy's emotion by playing mysterious music while she is speaking, which helps to bring out the feeling and importance in her words. This technique is important in developing character and the narrative by showing the audience how Buffy feels about being the slayer, and also how much she values school and friendship. The usage of background music to present emotion in film has been general practice since German director Fritz Lang's 1920s films "Die Nibelungen" and "Metropolis", and Whedon uses this narrative feature effectively to develop the story for the audience.

FILM-SCORE: Whedon uses background music to
emphasise Buffy's dialogue to Giles

Buffy The Vampire Slayer director Joss Whedon uses the narrative features of costume, camera-work and music to introduce the character Buffy to the audience and set up the theme of the first season.