Staging Ianto
While timing the characters I noted some interesting things about how Ianto is handled on the stage. Here's my observations lifted from OG:
Watching these with the sound off, it's hard to miss how often the camera favors Ianto. He may be in the background in most eps, but except for GBG he's usually only a degree or two off from the dead center of the shot. That's a prime location.
In TKKS the camera loves Ianto. Not only is he in his "sweet spot" almost all the time, but the camera follows him up the stairs and into the boardroom. We watch Jack at the first conference over Ianto's shoulder. At the first meeting in Jack's office Ianto is in the center of the "chorus" (cluster of less important actors), while at the second meeting he has left the chorus and stands nearer to Jack while the chorus faces him.
When Owen explains what the glove is doing to Gwen the camera focuses on Ianto's reaction. This is in spite of the fact that Gwen means little to Ianto while Jack adores her. But the camera gives Jack less face-time at that moment than it does Ianto.
The shots of Jack consulting with Ianto and Ianto getting the phone to work have been discussed before. After Ianto gets the phone working Jack is shown talking to Kathy. It's been established and is repeated throughout the scene that Owen and Tosh are standing to one side, just out of the shot, with their arms crossed not doing anything. But Ianto is show standing quietly behind Jack's right shoulder working on something we can't see (probably his trusty PDA.) It looks to me like the camera is saying, "This is Jack's right hand man."
These are some of the reasons why I wonder if people who say they didn't see the stopwatch scene coming were really watching all that closely.
ETA: I'm lifting this bit up from the comments:
It's the same staging in every episode except for the two that are strong one-character POV stories, GBG and Random Shoes. Even in Small Worlds where he's in disgrace after Lisa, he's still just off center-back right next to Jack in the boardroom scene.
After TKKS the camera begins to swing around to focus on him in the same way that it does the others, which it really wasn't doing before except for Cyberwoman. So it's less apparent that he's back-and-center, but that's usually where he is even then.
Except for three moments in End of Days. When Owen shoots Jack, Ianto leaves the center-back position to kneel by Jack's head while the camera follows him. When the Hub begins to explode, he is the first one to move and begins leading the others to the main door. And when they gather around Jack's body, he deliberately stands as far in the corner as he can. That's the only time in the entire series where you see him deliberately stake out the back corner insead of center-back. He doesn't even do that when he's in disgrace after Lisa.
Of course so many women love Ianto's story. It's a Classic Women's Romance story, i.e. "Does the hero have the sense to prefer the quieter but smarter person to the flashier but less smart person?" The only thing that's different is that this time the "plain Jane" is a guy.
Whenever I point out that RTD is drawing from literary sources. someone always counters that he's just an overgrown fanboy who knows nothing about Literature. Nonsense. RTD knows the field of love stories as well as a veteran fisherman knows the waters through which he steers his boat.
ETA: Teaspoon is deleting their essay section in 12 minutes. Boo! I'm archiving their reviews here.
eumenidis2007.10.05 - 09:02PM1: Chapter 1SignedI've read that Ianto was originally intended to be killed off early in the series, but the writers changed their minds; now you've told us why.
RTD only an "overgrown fanboy"? Fanboy, yes, but a literate fanboy, otherwise we'd all have lost interest halfway through "Everything Changes."
Author's Response: I've heard that to, but according to Torchwood novelist Peter Anghelides Ianto's story arc was firmly in place long before the shooting ended. Yeah, I know, but it's amazing the number of people who insist there's no way he's had a literary eduction, he MUST have just learned everything he knows from watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. *rolls eyes* Forget "Everything Changes", there's no way he would have held the British public through Queer as Folk if that were the case.
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ebonyjet2007.10.05 - 07:09PM1: Chapter 1SignedI noticed that to. not that i'm complaining I love Ianto with or without Jack. I like that he's there all the time cos I think it was RT's way of saying "this is the guy Jack trusts!" and i think thats way the cam always goes to see Ianto's reaction. but hey eah to his or her own.
Author's Response: "This is Jack's right hand man." There's also that bit in the Autopsy Bay in Combat where Gwen asks what they're going to do, and everyone, even Jack, looks to Ianto before answering.
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jekyll2007.10.05 - 03:38PM1: Chapter 1SignedGreat analysis on a great character. I'll have to really look at some of your points as I rewatch Series 1
Author's Response: Any excuse to rewatch S1 is a good excuse. :)
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