The initial round of “who wants to be a millionaire” is called “fastest finger first” this is a rapid round to select a contestant for the core game. “Fastest finger first” is a use of alliteration to emphasise the swiftness necessary. The aim of the game is to answer all fifteen questions and win a million pounds. The first five questions are moderately simple. This is to show that anyone can do it and it makes people feel superior. Once you have answered the five questions you have unquestionably reached £1000. After this the plummet of all money becomes an issue, as the next five questions go up to £32000. This adds to the anticipation and tension of the show. The questions get increasingly harder as the game goes on.
There are in addition three lifelines that assist you on your way to fortune there’s: “ask the audience” you have to trust complete strangers asking them to give you an answer. “50-50” is also an alternative this eliminates two of the answers therefore this gives an escalating inducement to guess and therefore mounting the tension. Another lifeline is “Phone a friend” this taxing the affiliation between the participator and the answering question, this is also attaining extremely high pressure with the stress of time, the ticking of the clock and the relative or companion being told how much money is at stake. The layout of the studio is quite similar to the infamous “mastermind” game show. The stools that Chris Tarrant and the contestant sit on are roughly matching to the master mind one. The arena is spherical with the spectators surrounding it. This gives it a “gladiatorial” feel.
A friend or family member is seated at the back the contestant so that he/she feels intimidated by having a “loved one” watching them and maybe scrutinising them, which makes the contestant feel intense.
Music as well adds a lot of tension. The distinct theme tune is memorable and a representation of the show. It tries to replicate what form of programme it is. The theme tune is also tense and remarkable. The degree of the music rises as the tension increases like when Chris Tarrant is going to present the contestant the answer to their answer.
During “fastest finger first” and “phone a friend” there is a clock ticking this creates tension because you only have a restricted quantity of time to do something really significant.
After the contestant has answered the first five questions, which are comparatively easy, a heartbeat sound kicks in this reflects the contestant’s heart beat, and how tense they feel.
The show always seems to end before the end to one of the answers is revealed. Normally the contestant and audience give a sigh because the tension is going to be passed over to the next show.
The camera shots also add tension to the show. When the contestant is anxious the cameraman tends to close up the shot, so the contestants are really under pressure. Also when Christ Tarrant shows the contestant a cheque of the sum of money they have won, there is also a close up to show the audience and viewers the amount of money won and to emphasize how much they could lose. Before the contestant and Chris Tarrant take “the seat” there is a medium shot of the stage. This is to show how the stage is like a gladiator auditorium.
When or if the contestant uses “ask the audience” there is a wide angled shot to set the scene, and illustrate it is the audience who is answering the question.
At chance intervals during the display there are low angle shots so we see as an audience can see the nervous relatives face, this yet again adds tension. Editing is used to compact the show in order to show proof that it is live so that we at home believe that and is used to manipulate the viewers into thinking that the show is live making it feel more real.
When a contestant is answering a more challenging question a lot more time is used up on it to create a tenser ambience.
Lighting is used as a key feature throughout the show. The “tunnel” changes the colour throughout the show, at tricky moments when something significant is happening. Lights are also used on the audience at edgy moments to show their reactions. When the contestant sees their question, the audience gets blacked out so that all awareness is on the contestant and not on the spectators. When Chris Tarrant is about to disclose the question a spotlight flashes onto the stage and then the lights dim down.
Chris Tarrant uses a batch of slogans such as “we don’t want to give you that one”. This adds variety to the programme giving a entertaining and tranquil mood. Chris Tarrant uses a lot of techniques to generate tension.
Humour is a key one. Also cutting to commercial breaks whilst contestants are about to find out whether they are right or wrong. The way Tarrant pretends the show is live makes the whole thing seem more pressured. The use of repetition is also used, like Tarrant says “Is that your final answer?” This also makes it seem additionally pressured and tense.
“Who wants to be a millionaire” has been so triumphant because there has never been a game show like it prior to it that offers a million pound prize money. The show is varied and utterly different to anything on television before. It is fresh and the prize is amazing.
I think that the show was first-rate when it primarily came out but it has become rather tiresome and repetitive and what was a fresh new idea seems rather tedious and droll now. I feel that the prize is too much of a sum to hand out when there are much more needier causes in the world that such money could go to rather than someone wanting to be greedy and get rich, though even if “who wants to be a millionaire” wasn’t on, another show would be produced and would give the same effect and either a greater or equal sum offered as prize money.