Fish Tank is a Social Realism film starring Katie Jarvis, an underclass teenage girl who isn't an actor.
The text adheres to the Social Realism genre as the theme of a non-nuclear family is represented, however, when Connor is present there is an element of a nuclear family. This is shown by the point of view shot from Mia's perspective of Connor playing with Tyler. In this shot, the audience see Connor tickling and picking up Tyler as she is laughing - as a father figure would to their child. The audience see that Tyler is blocking the front door in effort to prevent Connor from leaving which suggests that she has instantly become attached to him, reiterating the fact that they don't have a father/male figure in their lives. The point of view shot connotes a calm atmosphere as the shot is still and it implies Mia's reflection and appreciation that he is making the family happier than when he's not around. It could also connote that Mia is jealous of the attention that Tyler is receiving from Connor and therefore she cannot help but watch them.
The director adheres to the narrative theme within Social Realism films of desiring a lifestyle. The editor uses a mid shot of Mia, in her kitchen, watching a music video and attempting to dance in the style that the girls do. In the shot, we can see a side view of Mia dancing with the TV in the shot and a shallow depth of field as the background of the working class kitchen is not in focus. This connotes that she has been influenced by what she has seen on TV and as she doesn't have any experience of middle-upper class so it implies that she assumes that they have an aspiration lifestyle.
Tuesday, 10 December 2013
Thursday, 5 December 2013
Sci Fi Conventions in The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games contains typical and re-occurring conventions from the Sci-Fi genre. The genre conventions could be categorised as narrative themes, character roles, iconography/mise en scene and technical conventions. The narrative is typical of the genre in many ways.
The narrative theme of an anti-establishment ideology is present in The Hunger Games. This is seen in the particular scene when a large screen in used to broadcast the history of Panem to district 12 before the reaping. In the broadcast, they show how the districts tried to revolute against the Capitol and how the Hunger Games is a consequence of their ancestors actions. This shows that the districts are against the Capitol and tries to defy their power and orders, however, due to them being underclass they were unable to defeat the Capitol and now must serve them as punishment.
A classic iconography found in the Sci-Fi genre is military officers, this is present repeatedly in the Hunger Games as they use military officers in white uniforms to keep the citizens in line.
The narrative theme of an anti-establishment ideology is present in The Hunger Games. This is seen in the particular scene when a large screen in used to broadcast the history of Panem to district 12 before the reaping. In the broadcast, they show how the districts tried to revolute against the Capitol and how the Hunger Games is a consequence of their ancestors actions. This shows that the districts are against the Capitol and tries to defy their power and orders, however, due to them being underclass they were unable to defeat the Capitol and now must serve them as punishment.
A classic iconography found in the Sci-Fi genre is military officers, this is present repeatedly in the Hunger Games as they use military officers in white uniforms to keep the citizens in line.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Noir Genre Conventions in 'Drive'
Drive conforms to typical conventions of the Film Noir Genre.
Technical Codes
- The use of low key lighting casts a shadow on the protagonist's (Gosling) face when he is around the table with the woman, man and little boy. This showed the dual side of his character as the dialogue portrayed that he was helping to protect the family and he feels humbled by the relationship that the man has with his son, however, the high contrast caused by low key lighting implies that he will have to do bad things to achieve what he wants. This is later proved.
- There is a high angle shot from Gosling's view point whilst looking over the red-headed woman on the bed. This angle showed the authority and power hat Gosling had over the woman which also related to the Film Noir Narrative theme of 1950s gender politics as the man is showing dominance and control over the female.
- The director uses a shot of Gosling stepping back from high key lighting into total darkness of low key lighting . This is when he is in the bathroom after having killed the intruders, by stepping back into the low key lighting this suggests that he has done something bad and shows the flaws in his character. This contrasts from the former shadowed lighting to show how his character has developed in his flaws.
Characters
- The cynical protagonist in the text is Ryan Gosling (Driver). He is shown with a selfless personality as he risks his own safety in order to protect Irene (post-modern femme fatale).
Technical Codes
- The use of low key lighting casts a shadow on the protagonist's (Gosling) face when he is around the table with the woman, man and little boy. This showed the dual side of his character as the dialogue portrayed that he was helping to protect the family and he feels humbled by the relationship that the man has with his son, however, the high contrast caused by low key lighting implies that he will have to do bad things to achieve what he wants. This is later proved.
- There is a high angle shot from Gosling's view point whilst looking over the red-headed woman on the bed. This angle showed the authority and power hat Gosling had over the woman which also related to the Film Noir Narrative theme of 1950s gender politics as the man is showing dominance and control over the female.
- The director uses a shot of Gosling stepping back from high key lighting into total darkness of low key lighting . This is when he is in the bathroom after having killed the intruders, by stepping back into the low key lighting this suggests that he has done something bad and shows the flaws in his character. This contrasts from the former shadowed lighting to show how his character has developed in his flaws.
Characters
- The cynical protagonist in the text is Ryan Gosling (Driver). He is shown with a selfless personality as he risks his own safety in order to protect Irene (post-modern femme fatale).
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