Honey Gawn-Hopkins Blog

 Lighting: - The lighting switches between naturalistic to very theatrical/ dramatic- the lighting also coincides with the character's thoughts- the lighting is expressionistic / theatrical- when the cafe turns into a train- metaphor for the journey the character is about to embark on. Open ending: - Again, another open ending- rather subtle + not subtle at the same time- the entire film looks stylish Action: - The action prompts the thoughts of the characters- e.g. a couple walking past her, provoked her to think about sticking with her boyfriend- other examples- clock on the wall, the sound of a baby crying off-screen Metaphors in the film: - The door of the cafe constantly opening/closing- a metaphor for opportunity.  What I liked/ what could I take for my film? - Have all character background information planned/ pegged even if we don't see it in the film- for example, in this film, the use of the absent boyfriend/ ex boyfriend. 

 Something I learned from viewing/ analysing the film: often, less is more. You can present stuff with out any explanation and it can be very effective, if it does correctly and there is enough for the viewer to focus on in the mean time.  We are situated familiarly throughout the whole film- the setting is familiar- suburban England- however the topic (revealed at the very end of the film) is very alien to most people-  the setting at the themes of the film are heavily contrasted with each other- this makes the moment when realise what's happening (when the body falls from the sky and the story is revealed) all the more shocking and thought provoking.  The whole film highlights the issues on a more global scale:  about the desperation for those attempting to flee their countries in order to seek asylum in richer countries- the fact that the director chose to show a photograph fo the man's family in and evidence bag- emphasises empathy and sympathy for the man as we can see the

 Notes on Performance: - The actor (Joe Cole)- he is delicately applying the makeup- shows how much he cares/ shows his enthusiasm for makeup and that he wants to get it right - The difference in his physicality when he sees his father- he is more upright- more tense- less comfortable  - Demands as an actor- He's demanded to show immense vulnerability and fear of getting caught- the performance would have been far less effective had Cole acted more 'feminine' when dressed as a woman- if he had acted more 'camp' - his decision, when he's dressed as a woman to keep his own 'male personality' very present allows his performance to be far more effective and impactful for the viewer. Prompt Q answers:  Structure: Beginning- start of the film until 'Archie' finds out- Middle- from when Archie is saved/finds out- to when he goes to the party- End- from the first fight he has at the party to the later fight in the boxing ring.  Themes: Acceptance, gender

 Mise En Scene in the film: Costume: the three actors are dressed comfortably, in a modern style, they are dressed basically, they are not particularly glamorous/ overdressed or over- styled- we can assume from their clothing/where the film is set that they come from working-class backgrounds  Hair: The actors' hairstyles are all modern and popular- they are neatly cut- the characters enjoy taking pride in their hair- the cuts themselves are basic and modern- one actor's hair is in braids- reflecting his culture/ heritage Set: The entire film takes place in the courtyard/ parking area of a council estate- between large buildings full of flats- the three characters appear familiar with their surrounding- and so we can assume that they too live in the area or near it- they are waiting for a friend. Colour: The three men are dressed in different colours which adds a sense of humour to the group- almost a comedy trio vibe- they are all wearing baggy, oversized clothing- such as hoo

 4 Specific Sound moments Notes: 1. Sound bridge- X2- noticed that this method is used quite frequently in short films- situates the viewer directly in the action from the beginning 2. When the actress is in the car- underlying tone of the engine- creates anticipation, suspense, used frequently throughout the first section of the film- creates ambiguity about the character and her emotions/ situation. 3. Score- dissonant chords- creates a sense of reflection as well as anticipation- the lack of intense/ dramatic score forces the viewer to reflect on the character- the chords also create a sense of underlying trauma.  4. The slow fade out of noise when the the character breaks down at the end- draws all focus and attention to the performance- the use of sound here is very effective- can see a busy environment + her crying hysterically- provides a comparison to the first time we see this scene- provides a character arc- as well as further ambiguity for the viewer on which traumatic phone