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Representation, This is England

This is England – representations

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young people

In ‘This is England’, the youth is represented in different ways. The main character Shaun who is a child, is introduced as a lonely child who often seems to get picked on by other people. The ‘Skinheads’ is the gang Shaun makes friends with at the beginning of the film but they also represent the youth in Britan at the time as Woody and his friends ae in their teens or early twenties, implying that they could’ve also gone through similar experiences to Shaun such as getting picked on. This further explains why Woody was very keen to take Shaun under his wing. The main character representation of young people in this film is much nicer and kinder than the school kids we are shown at the beginning picking on Shaun because of his father.

older people

Older people are represented quite negatively throughout most of the film. Prior to the introduction of Combo and Banjo, older people did not make much of an appearance due to the fact that Combo and Banjo were the “first generation” of skinheads therefore they are presented as entitled and powerful although Combo just got out of prison meaning his past activities were rather negative and dangerous. Other older characters we get introduced to are most males such as the ones in the picture above, showing the nationalists wanting Britain to be for the British making them the antagonists in the film due to them taking advantage of the younger generation such as Shaun and modelling their minds to become prejudiced towards anyone not British. Not all older figured are represented this way however. For example Shaun’s mother who is presented as a sweet and caring woman wishing for her child to get treated right even though Shaun is at an age where he might not yet be able to appreciate her efforts fully. After Shaun changes his appearance, she doesn’t seem too be too angry and she even thanks the skinheads for making Shaun feel included and happy, further implying that she has his best interest at heart.

English people

The cast for this movie mostly contains English people therefore they create the main plot of the film based on pride and love for their country. Characters such as Woody and Lol do not seem to be as impacted by their British identity compared to characters such as Combo and Banjo, therefore representing Woody’s group as more comfortable with who they are in society. Combo on the other hand utilises his identity in order to persuade Shaun and the others to join his group by twisting the idea of patriotism and suggesting to people like Milky for example that his British identify is superior to his Jamaican identity. This represents the British people in the film to be patronising and forcing their beliefs and standards onto everyone else.

foreign people (people of colour)

Woody’s group consisted of mostly white people, Milky however was the only person of colour we get introduced to whilst also being part of the group. Not only does this show Woody’s kindness for not segregating Milky and for treating him like anyone else but it also shows that Milky has not done anything wrong and that he is a positively represented character. However with Combo back, the segregation and hatred towards Milky begins and further becomes more obvious with the way Combo almost kills Milky at the end of the film though Milky actually did Combo a favour when he asked him for some weed. Combo also uses Milky as a main topic when trying to break up Woody’s gang in the first place by bringing attention to the fact that no one in the group stood up for him when racist jokes and comments were being made, further supporting Combo’s argument that English people do not stick up for each other anymore. However Combo’s actions quickly get overseen by the way he treats Milky at the end. Besides from Milky who represented black people in ‘This is England’, the shopkeeper represented the Asian community and in my opinion he was a very important character. He is presented as a simple man trying to make a living but is then given trouble by Shaun at the beginning of the film as he was being irritating and at that time it seemed like he was the one in control. Further along in the film, we are presented with the shopkeeper again when Shaun comes in with Combo and his group trying to threaten the shopkeeper for being a different ethnicity to them. His shop gets robbed by them and racist slurs are being thrown at him, showing that now he is not the one in charge anymore but now he is rather helpless.

men

The men in the film make up the majority of the cast, implying that back in the late 90s men were seen a the dominant gender and the ones who are “in charge”. The representations of men in the film vary widely. We firstly get introduced to Shaun who represents the younger group of Englishmen, he idolises first Woody then Combo as they are older and he wants the masculinity they have. Woody is then introduced to us as a caring and outgoing person who wants to tach Shaun how to be confident but in the other hand, we then get introduced to Combo who only seems to project is nationalist ideas onto everyone especially Shaun as he is young and vulnerable. The rest of the male characters present their strength in one way or another however they also express extreme emotions at times, making it hard to see them in a positive light.

women

In ‘This is England’, the female characters aren’t initially presented as very important however they do become more apparent as the film goes on. The main female character Lol (Woody’s girlfriend) is given her own story and character development as she is just seen as one of the other girls in the group however she turns out to be a very caring character. We then find out that she was essentially raped by Combo while she was drunk before he went to prison, showing not only her hatred for him and what he stands for but also her strength and bravery especially when she accepts his request to talk to her alone in his car. Smell is a character who becomes Shaun’s girlfriend and serves no other real purpose in the story as we don’t get to learn much about her or her background. Shaun’s mother is a character who truly shows the contrast between the men and the women in the film. She is caring and supportive even though she was recently widowed and shows her strength by having to look after Shaun by herself which makes the audience respect and like her.

Hollywood

Classical Hollywood

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The birth of Hollywood 1900-1930

  1. Why did film makers and producers move to Hollywood?

A lot of film makers moved to Hollywood as there was a lot of real estate being sold, perfect for movie sets and studios to be built.

2. Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the ‘Silent Era’.

directors: Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980), Michael Curtiz (1886-1962)

stars: Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) John Wayne (1907-1979)

pictures: City Lights (1931), Battleship Potekim (1925)

3. In what ways were the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line or even the ‘Premier League’?

In the early 1900s, actors and actresses did not have much liberty at all. This meant that if they got into any trouble or public drama, directors and film producers would often fire them but also make sure that they will not be working in the film industry again meaning that their career was ruined. Actors would often also be sold and signed with different producers all the time depending on what genre and type of films were being created at the time.

4. When was the first “talking picture”?

The first “talking picture” (film where an actor/actress spoke audibly for the audience to hear) was ‘The Jazz Singer’. This film was originally presented as a “talkie” (although it only had limited sound sequences) and it premiered on October 6th 1927.

5. Why did the end of the Silent Era cause problems for some producers working in the film industry?

Some actors or actresses were just not good enough for the job anymore. For example, their voice would not sound good as it would be too high or even too low therefore not matching their face and their acting. In some cases, the actors would not understand the new technology evolving around them such as different cameras or microphones, further causing problems during filming.

6. What was happening in America (and around the world) as this time?

The film movements of ‘Classical Hollywood’ as well as French impressionism, German expressionism as well as the German montage began during this period. America then came to its economic demise as ‘The Great Depression’ hit, leading millions of people to lose their jobs and livelihoods, ultimately leading to them also losing their money due to the economic ‘Wall Street Crash’. This was a major stock market crash in the United States which began in 1929 with a sharp decline in prices on the ‘New York Stock Exchange’.

Censorship

The Hays code is a set of rules and guidelines self-imposed by Hollywood studios. These guidelines regulate the moral content of films produced and filmed from 1934 and 1968. The Hayes code prohibited obscenity, profanity and racial slurs from making any appearances in films. This included strict instructions outlining how certain topics should be shown on screen. This code also restricted homosexuality, criminality, miscegenation and even substance use.

The Hollywood Studio System

  1. What were the big 5 studios and what kind of movies are they each known for?

MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) – this studio was founded in 1924 and it was popular for its over the top musicals with big budgets such as ‘Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

Warner Bros. – this studio got famous in the 1930s due to their films being some of the first ones with synchronised sound, they produced low budget mellow-dramas and they also branded themselves as “the studio of the working class”

Paramount – Paramount Pictures is the last major film studio to still be situated in Hollywood and it was well known for producing mostly European movies such as ‘Morocco’

20th Century Fox – this studio was founded in 1915 and it became famous because of John Ford who was a very well known and loved director for creating dramas such as ‘How green was my valley’

RKO – this studio was home to the very popular Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, they also produced what is known as “one of the most influential films”, ‘Citizen Kane’

2. Explain what virtual integration and block-booking was.

Virtual integration and block-booking were two strategies used by major film studios to maintain the film industry. Virtual integration refers to how studios would produce, distribute and exhibit films through a combination of ownership and control. This allowed studios to control the production process and have complete creative freedom without needing to rely on external suppliers. Block-booking was a practice where theatres were forced to buy a bundle or a “block” of films from one specific studio instead of being able to select films from different studios. This left theatres with little to no choice as this way, the theatres would also display the films which were less popular or with a smaller budget.

3. Why and when did the original studio system collapse?

The biggest turn of events in the studio system history was when the US government’s Supreme Court ruled in the ‘Paramount Decision’ which forced film studios which also owned theatres to sell them to individually owned theatres and this violated the ‘anti-trust’ laws as they owned and profited from a lot of revenue, denying other people’s success. This court rule weakened studios’ distribution and exhibition control, therefore taking away some of the studio’s power.

4. What was happening in America and around the world at this time?

The ‘Wall Street Crash’ caused what we now know as the ‘Great Depression’ during this time as many lost their jobs and money and savings worth a lifetime.

5. What genres were popular and why did people go to cinemas in this period?

Film genres such as Musicals, Gangster films, Westerns and Romantic comedies were thriving. It was way cheaper and more accessible to go to the cinema during this time compared to going to the theatres for example. Therefore, many wanted to forget about everything going on in their lives and they would go to cinemas as a distraction. The film industry was doing better during this time than any other, producing around 800 films per year compared to today’s rate of 500.

Classical Hollywood style

In Casablanca, it was curtail that editing was seamless as it gave a sense of continuity by having no sharp or noticeable cuts. This was achieved by having the shots arranged in a certain way in order to make the storyline develop for the entertainment of the spectators. Films usually followed the ‘beginning, middle and end’ structure in order to create a strong and interesting narrative. Film makers had the task of creating the entire world of the film, often building sets instead of filming on location however this still gave the illusion that what was happening on screen was actually also happening in real life.

Uncategorised

Aesthetics

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Aesthetic – refers to the overall style and theme of the film including the texture, this refers to the beauty of the film and how aesthetically pleasing it is looks wise

Realism

Verisimilitude – the believability of the world of the film (diegesis), how real it looks compared to the normal world.

Social Realism – films which reflect a range of environments and social issues

Magic Realism – films with a realistic tone containing fantastical events bringing old stories, myths and tales to modern relevance

Hyperreality – films where everything feels overly real, an exaggerated reality to the point where it becomes hard to believe it is real

Visual Style

Iconography – the use of recurring images and symbols in films to convey specific themes or evoke specific emotions and build the film’s narrative

Intertextual Referencing – when a film overlaps with another work of art (another film, work of literature or another art form)

Visual/Sound Motifs – recurring visual or sound element used throughout the film to create meanings and representations

Colour Grading – a way of manipulating and editing raw film to maintain colour tones through the film

Auteur Trademarks – when a film “author” or director who is in full control of the making of the movie utilises the same way of filming including camera shots and angles, themes and lighting throughout most of their work

Tone

Pathos – different objects, subjects or specific elements which convey an emotional appeal, making the audience convey a sense of pity or empathy

Bathos – an anti-climax in a film, when the audience expects something to happen and something usually more underwhelming happen

Suspense – usually in correlation with anxiousness and anticipation, the spectator not knowing when and how it is going to happen

Comedy – a genre of film which mostly focus on humours moments therefore making the audience laugh

Dramatic Irony – the significance of a character’s words or actions is clear to only the spectator but not the character itself

Distancing Effect – usually used in live plays, when the character breaks the “forth wall”, it is used to distance the audience from emotional involvement

Postmodern Humour – another style of comedy including other comedy features such as parodies, irony and including both high and low art styles

Exam

Exam Feedback

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impressive vocabulary – “The deliberate and stylised use of this slow-motion reaction shot…”

Diegetic – a way of describing the overall world of the film and everything in it

Cathartic effect – the emotional experience the spectator goes through after watching a film caused by the impact it has left

Reframing – to change the way something is viewed by others

response example:

•Throughout Joker, cinematography is used effectively to create sense of chaos within the film’s diegetic world. This is particularly evident in the scene towards the end of the film where Arthur is shown using a   low- angle, close-up looking out of the police car window and reacting with glee at the riots taking place around him. Here, the camera is used to position  the spectator as not only connecting with Arthur, but now looking up to him. This suggests to the spectator that the tables have turned and Arthur who was earlier depicted as pathetic and sad, is now depicted as powerful and heroic. This “reframing” of  the central character” has a potentially cathartic effect on the spectator who has, up until this point, been encouraged to sympathise with Arthur’s point of view as a victim of circumstance. The deliberate and stylised use of this slow-motion reaction shot, enables the spectator to get a sense of poetic justice being served.

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This is England

This is England first response

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I have decided to give this film a rating of 8/10 because i felt like this was a very impactful movie as it represents different social groups very well such as the younger and older generation of people living in England at the time of the war that was taking place. I also feel like this movie was great at presenting the nature of Englishmen and how pride can drive people to do horrible things such as murder and many other hate crimes just because some people did not fit the “English” stereotype in the eyes of characters such as Combo.  

In my opinion, the most memorable scene from this film was when Milky was brutally beaten by Combo after trying to stand his ground. In my opinion, this scene was very impactful as it showed Combo’s true colors and what he was capable of but also how he was able to very easily influence a child (Shaun) to join his “gang” and partake in offensive hate crimes towards different races and social groups. This scene was particularly impactful for me as this was the moment Shaun realized what kind of person Combo is and how he made the decision that he does not want to be associated with him anymore.  

Trainspotting

Trainspotting First Response

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I have chosen to give this movie 7/1O. This is because I think this movie was heavily impactful as it is based around addiction and how younger people can very easily get addicted to drugs especially heroine and it also brigs attention to the fact that quitting drugs, especially when there is no support system set in place can be very challenging and disheartening to watch. This film also represented different social groups and social classes very well such as the youth, lower to middle class and many other elements of how the youth in Scotland was affected by drug usage.

in my opinion, the most memorable scene was when Renton went to the Mother Superior’s den to get one last hit of heroine before going to a rehabilitation unit and he overdosed. I think this scene was particularly memorable because it caused a lot of suspense upon the viewer as we did not know if Renton was going to live. The way the scene was almost set up as a funeral and made it look like Renton was in a coffin underground also made this scene that much more heart-breaking as he was young with his whole life ahead of him.

Representation

Representation

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All aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity and age) including the ideological nature of those representations, meaning that films create meaning and generates response through cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing, sound and performance of actors.

performance – age, ethnicity, costume, facial expressions, body language/gestures

ideology – the beliefs which an individual holds about something or someone (could also refer to groups of people)

stereotype – a widely and strictly held view, image or idea of a particular type of person or groups of people

countertype – the opposite type of a certain something or someone, usually goes against a stereotype

example: Sarah Connor (Terminator 1 & 2)

In Terminator 1, the character of Sarah Connor is presented to the audience as a clumsy, young American waitress working at a diner where is seems as everyone is trying to hive her a hard time.

In Terminator 2, is like the audience gets introduced to a completely new character even though it is the same one. This is due to the significant change not only in physical appearance (looking stronger due to muscle definition, having her hair up instead of up, wearing manlier clothes etc.) but also her mindset and personality has taken a turn causing her to seem “crazy”.

Representations in Trainspotting

  1. Who is doing the representations? (Danny Boyle – the director)
  2. Who is being represented? (younger generation of drug users, middle/lower class)
  3. Which social groups are being omitted from the representations? (elderly and very young children)
  4. What messages about particular social groups are being conveyed? (younger people can very easily get addicted to drugs and getting out of the addiction is very difficult to stop unless you have a support system)
  5. Which characters or social groups have power within the representations? (The mother superior and the parents of the characters but also Renton at the end of the movie)
  6. Do the characters adhere to or challenge stereotypes? (when we were first introduced to the characters, they all met the “young drug users” stereotypes apart from Tommy however by the end of the movie, he became like the rest of them)
  7. Are the characters typical of films in that genre? (yes because the characters help represent the youth in Scotland at the time)
  8. What do representations tell audiences about society at the time was being filmed or set in? (the characters show what the normal experience of young drug users at the time and how easily people can start doing drugs but how it can also change your life drastically)
  9. How are elements of film form?
Sound

Sound in film

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Even though both sound designers and mixers play very important roles within the world of film, there are some differences between the two, such as:

sound designer – sound designers have the role of recording or finding the audios and sounds used in a specific sequence or scene (e.g. dialogue, background noise, sound effects). sound designers often create their own sounds which often get used as “fillers” in scenes where there might not even be any dialogue.

Diegetic & non-diegetic sounds  

Non-diegetic: This scene in joker begins with no sound at all other than the subtle dialogue between Arthur and his social worker however, as the dialogue gets more “heated” and tense, tense music starts playing over the top. As the scene goes on, the music gets louder and louder creating tension and anticipation making the audience curious and intrigued.  

Diegetic: This scene in Joker had the diegetic sound of applause happening in real time with the actions in the movie making it authentic and makes it seem as if we (the audience) are there living it with him.  

synchronous – sound which is matched with the actions and movements being viewed.

asynchronous – sounds which are not matched with what the audience is seeing, usually used to create tension as the4 viewer can hear the sound but not see the source.

sound mixers – sound mixers are in charge of figuring out the timing of when those sounds get used in the sequence or scene. They have the skill of mixing sound elements together in order to make the final sound track sound like a whole.

sound effects – artificially created of enhanced sounds which are used in artistic ways to emphasise an action, mood or feeling.

Foley artist – creating a clean sound replicating what is on screen which then gets added in post-production.

leitmotif – “short, recurring musical phrase” associated with a particular character, setting, emotion and development of a character. “leitmotifs are guides” they condition the audience emotionally for the interventions, arrival or actions of a particular character.

sound J & L cuts – sound bridges which creates a smooth visual transition between scenes.

voice over/ narration – often informs the audience with all the information they need about a certain character or event, this can sometimes also be presented as “unreliable narration” meaning the viewer does not get all the information straight away.

musical score – pieces of music specifically created for a film/specific scene.

underscore – music playing “under” the dialogue between characters, usually quite quiet.

needle drop – popular pre-exciting pieces of music (out of the world of the film) which helps set the tone of the scene, this can go with what is happening in the scene or juxtapose it which usually creates a “jarring” of off-putting mood.

sound perspective – the apparent distance of a sound source, this can be supported by its volume, timber and pitch.

Moonlight

Shot Distances (Moonlight)

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Medium long shot (MLS): I think this camera shot was used to create tension as the shots after this one keep getting closer and closer to the actor to create a sense of suspense for the audience as they’re awaiting to see what happens next or how close the camera is going to get to the character before something happens. 

Big close-up (BCU): I believe that this camera shot was very powerful especially at this point in the film as the camera is very close to the actor’s face making the audience feel as if they’re almost there, interacting with the characters themselves which creates a bond with the audience which is very important especially because of all the heavy social issues discussed and brought up.  

Long shot (LS): I think this shot was used to present the character to the audience fully, meaning that the viewer can see all different elements of the character such as his outfit, movements etc. Making the viewer connect with Chiron as we can see and almost feel what he is seeing and feeling. This also creates almost an anticipating shot as we don’t know what he is planning on doing until it happens in the next scene.  

Joker

Joker-‘mise-en-scene’

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I have chosen this scene from the beginning of the film “Joker” (2019) to expand and explore my ideas on “Mise-en-scene”, this refers to everything the audience can see in the frame including elements such as: lighting, actors, props etc.  

I chose to talk about this specific scene as it is a very low camera angle shot so you can clearly see the camera lens is almost on the ground itself, almost symbolizing the very low point in which Arthur was at in his life during this scene. The shot composition of this scene is also very powerful in a way as it makes Arthur the only thing fully in focus, therefore letting the audience know he is the main character in this movie as everything in the foreground and background of him is all out of focus besides from him implying his impotence. As this is one of the first scenes we see of Arthur in a costume, it will ultimately make the audience correlate the costume with Arthur’s moments of weakness, this however contrasts with the last time we see him in a costume, and he is taking over the influence on raging civilians who at the end of the movie are starting violent protests and destroying everything around them. This then makes a drastic shift in how the audience now views Arthur.  

In this scene, the lighting is dim with bright streetlights as the only light source in the frame, making Arthur kind of blend in with what is happening around him as a possible way of showing his unimportance in this particular scene. This later contrasts to the next time we see the Joker going down the same set of stairs as not only the appearance of the character changes but also their entire personality and confidence.  

I have also decided to talk about this scene because I think the coloring and assembly of the set design in this shot because it doesn’t only allow the viewer to see the interactions between the main character (the Joker & his mother) but it also creates more attraction point in the frame meaning the audience have more than one thing to focus on as everything is in focus. The brightly colorful elements in this shot such as the set design and props used also have positive connotations which implies that Arthur’s mother and taking care of her is one of his main priorities and source of happiness, compared to how other aspects of his life such as his job and meetings with his social worker are presented in colors which are more dull and dark.  

I picked this scene to talk about makeup within this film as I think the makeup used in this scene such as fake blood on white face paint made the red pop out a lot making it attention catching for the audience as it stands out compared to everything else in the frame. The fake blood specifically created a sense of verisimilitude meaning what we see on screen is accurate to what it would look like if it happened in real life making it realistic and in some was more entertaining to watch from the viewer’s perspective.  

The element of spacing is used effectively in this shot as we can see all elements within the frame such as the actors, props, cars etc. as they are all in focus allowing the audience to decide what or who they want to follow. This shot is also a great example of shot composition in this film because of all the elements in this shot and the way they are placed, specifically Arthur being in the middle of the frame the entire time showing his importance.  

This shot represents the Joker as being a leader and even a role model to the citizens of New York as he is center-frame and also the only character in focus. This was used as one of the last scenes in the movie because it shows how Arthur rose above everyone when he became the Joker meaning he is very important as or right now but maybe also later. The Joker is also presented as powerful and even cruel using makeup and costume design making it look like Arthur has been through a lot to get to the top (which he has).