Applying The Five Key Concepts To Our Short Film - Dilys Latham

Genre and Style

Our short film deals with many modern issues faced by young adults such as growing up in an ignorant society, coming of age and finding acceptance, it is because of these themes that we believe our short fits into the genre of social realism. It could also be said that short has an adventure element to it due to the journeys the character takes when he enters his drawings. 

In the short the young man is portrayed as having more traditional feminine characteristics and also as being a homosexual, it is because these traits that he is treated like an outcast and inferior by his family. This is unfortunately still apparent in many society's and cultures around the world today and because we address such issues our film is of the social realism genre.

Representation

There is a strong representation of middle class throughout our short film as it very important for us to convey to the audience that the boy has had a very comfortable, traditional, structured upbringing which has left him imprinted with strong outdated beliefs. However he goes against his families ideals and it is because of this that they treat him badly, thus making him want to escape.

When choosing the locations for the film it was important for us to pick open and peaceful places for the boy to draw and escape to, as it helps to show the pain in his real with his family but also highlight his want for freedom and escape from a constricting and un-accepting place. The long shots will show our characters isolation and he has been outcast by his family as a result of his mistreatment from his family.

Our short film is a study of society norm and the effects of the traditional middle class home on a young and homosexual boy. It was important for us to clearly show the audience our protagonists sexuality as it is the reason he is victimized by his family and we show this through costume, props and mise en scene. The clothing our character wears will be styled quite loudly and with floral prints to clearly differentiate him from the stereotypical male characteristics and convey his stereotypical homosexual nature.

The age of our character was also a very important factor for us to consider and portray effectively as

Audience

The expected audience for our thriller would probably be for the ages of 16+ as they may be able to relate to the coming of age themes, understand the problems with society expectations or simply to be able to see the problems with a strict suppressed society and the consequences of one. The gender of our audience will be very much a mixture of female and males as although the lead character is male the issues dealt with are very applicable to both genders. The same goes for social as even the film heavily represents a middle class family the issues can be apparent with any social class.

Ideally our short will be screened all over the world and we will become millionaires through its success!
Our short film would be screened on short film websites for film enthusiasts as it has an interesting and unique plot but also has an eerie disconcerting truth to it. Perhaps the short would also do well being screened at schools to show power the discrimination to young people so they are aware of it from a young age.

Narrative

The structure of our narrative will be linear to show that the boy's ill treatment is never ending and is getting worse thus making him want to escape more and more which will eventually lead to him getting stuck in the drawings.
Propp's theory of narrative can be applied to our short film as we see the young boy as a victim of a strict, close minded traditional middle class family and his parents as the villains as they treat him unjustly. It is important that we make the two roles clear from the start so that the audience understand the boys need for escape but also the harsh reality of a un-accepting society.

It is also interesting to consider our short from Todorov's theory of narrative as we establish the equilibrium of the boys life at his home where he is an outcast, the audience are then presented with an disruption in the form of his harsh family but there is no resolution as he ends up stuck in his drawing. It is necessary for the short film to end this way as it shows the audience that for many people that live in a society which doesn't accept them, don't have a way out.

Media Language

In our short film we'd like to use many point of view shots to help the audience empathize we our lead character, we will do this by shooting many close ups and medium shots. The film will also include many hand-held shots and tracking shots to help show the boys growing fear as he becomes trapped within the drawings. When it comes to editing the short we want to make the transition from drawing to location as smooth as possible so there is no clear cut between the two.

The external monologue and non-diegetic sound will help the audience in understanding our lead character and make the film more personal to the viewer. The peaceful locations chosen are important to show the characters want for escape and the pain he feels at home. The effective use of mise en scene when the boy is at home will help to show his unusual character traits which lead his family to isolate him; such as his fashion designs, his choice of clothing and even his choice of music.

The short film 'Ronan's Escape' deals with many of the same themes we wish to include in our own film. The themes of discrimination and escape are very clear in this short film and the narrative has a great impact on the audience. We hope to achieve the same with out own short film!

Our Sound Choices By Lisa Walden

 

Throughout our short film we will be using an external monologue to allow the audience to hear the characters thoughts, emotions and reasons for wanting to draw picturesque, dreamy places. We have seen this technique in various short films that we have analysed, and have seen how effectively they work; we wanted to create this relationship that our audience have with the character. 

In the scene when our male character is playing the piano, the music he plays is very traditional and classical. We have opted for this particular type of music for certain reasons: first of all, our character is a feminine male, who enjoys traditional music. Secondly, whilst he is creating beautiful music, a family member comes in and slams the piano shut, showing that they don't accept him for the man he is. Our intentions are for the audience to feel sympathetic towards him, and although they may not be able to relate to him, they will be able to feel towards his situation, and understand his pain which is evident in his external spoken monologue. 

Finally, we have decided to add a soundtrack of slow, slightly muted music to piece in with the scenario, showing that his has escaped from the loud home atmosphere. At certain points in the film, for example when he first arrives at the beautiful boating dock there will be a moment of silence. As he is relatively shocked, and isn't able to say much, we thought it would be perfect to express this with a moment of silence. The majority of our sounds are natural to his environment, such as birds on the seafront, laughing on the pier and the shouting in his home life. This creates the best possible, realistic atmosphere possible, enabling the audience to truly connect and understand his world. 


Changes we have made
After watching 'The Camera' we have come to a decision that we are now going to abandon our idea of having a monologue, and continue with the idea of only having music with no dialogue. This worked so ever effectively in 'The Camera', and since we were so very inspired by their narrative and use of camera, we have come to a decision to also work with that idea.

As there is going to be no dialogue throughout our short film, we are going to be having a soft soundtrack running through the film. We are currently researching various possible sound solutions, as, our sound from last year's thriller was disappointing, so we need to ensure that this year the sound ties in with the story and is effective.

When deciding on a music soundtrack we wanted to opt for something a little more happier so that the overall film doesn't come across with the theme of depression. Here are a few possible songs that we came across. The lyrics connect well with our character and the places that he visits, for example, "Be Ok", will be played when he arrives at the joyful and wonderful places portraying that everything is okay.

Our next possible soundtrack is "The way i am" which would be played in the ending scene as this song speaks about being accepted which is what one of main issues is in our film. We may choose to shoot a happy ending as appose to a sad one, and this song would tie in perfectly with the issues in the film and additionally with what our character is going through.  

 

Mood and Style of Our Music

When our character, Louis, arrives at the neglected locations and when things begin to go wrong we have opted for sombre and obscure music to marry in with the narrative.









 

Our Finished Storyboard

This is the finished storyboard of our short film. We used detailed drawings and a voice over so it is made apparent what we are aiming to create. 

Costume Ideas - Dilys Latham

Costume Ideas for Lead Male Character

When considering our lead character's costume, it is important that we carefully choose items which will not only portray his characteristics externally as a fashion designer and creative individual but also a style which effectively portrays his individuality and difference to the modern society norm. 

It is important for the narrative of the film to have fluency and for our short this means making it clear to the audience why our character uses his drawings for escape. From the very beginning of the film our lead character if portrayed as an outcast and underdog, he is very talented but his gifts are being shunned by his unaccepting and fearful family who believe he is strange and abnormal. Using his costume we can show his unique style which his family condone as weird thus causing him to want to escape. 

 

Representation:

The main character in our short film has a middle class social background and for our film to be successful it is important for us to clearly portray this from the beginning as it is because of his strict traditional middle class parents that he feels outcasted as they don't accept him. The clothes which he wears need to clearly show his individuality and unique qualities

His ethnicity as a white British male is significant as it is a fairly traditional middle class ethnicity for someone in the South England and so highlights his strict upbringing and also his unique style and defiance against his parents.

 

This floral shirt has a slight feminine quality to it, which his family perceive as abnormal for a teenage boy and thus isolate and bully him because of his style as they do not understand him which gives him reason to want to escape.

Genre:

As the genre of our short is social realism it is crucial for our audience to clearly understand why it is of the genre and we can effectively portray the genre through our characters presentation as his choice of clothing shows his individuality which is why his parents resent him.

Audience:

As our expectant audience for the short is 15+ age group and aimed at male and females so we must make sure that it is clear what our characters predicament is so the audience empathises with him and also perhaps to some extent relateable as many feel outcasted and need for escape for many different reasons.

 This tweed waistcoat and bow tie combination again suggest a unique and modern style.

Finally this floral shirt and pink tie suggest a rather stereotypical portrayal of a homosexual but clearly clarify the audiences growing suspicions of the families concerns with the son. 

Final Locations by Lisa Walden

Shoreham-By-Sea

Our first location that we will shoot parts of our film at will be at the picturesque Shoreham-by-Sea. We chose this stunning location as, not only is it peaceful enough to hear the waves against the shore, but it perfectly contemplates the story in our film. 

As we wanted the male character to draw places which define beauty, peacefulness and memories, this place was an excellent choice to choose. And thereby, Shoreham-by-Sea is the very first location our young character will draw, and arrive in.

Brighton Pier

The second carefully chosen location choice is Brighton pier. Not only does this place thrive with entertainment, fun and laughter but it's the perfect hang-out location any teenage boy would desire, and so we have therefore contemplated on taking shots of him inside the loud, bustling arcade. 

 Brighton is a city that attracts young males for its excellent social and entertainment purposes, thus we thought that our character would have chosen to draw, and opt to be in the heart of the city of fun. 

Compared to our previous location, this one has great contrast, which works in ways perfect for telling our story. Altering from a silent, peaceful location and then switching to something much more vibrant bustling with people can either be quite a drastic, risky change, but in our case, it has great significance. 

Brighton Pavilion 

Since our second location is in Brighton, we thought we'd search around for some other locations close to the pier. The Pavilion is such a beautiful, breathtaking location that one can't possibly resist filming here. Furthermore, our last location, Brighton Pier, was so wonderful yet so loud with lots going on, we thought we'd play with contrasting surroundings and allow our character to escape to somewhere much more peaceful and relaxing. Somewhere where he can soak in memories and thoughts. Brighton Pavilion is perfect. 

So, after our character ends up on the pier and goes back home again, he contemplates on a new visit, this one being the Pavilion. Another reason why we chose this is because it seems to be a popular location among families, so it would have been somewhere that our character, as a young boy, visited; we wanted to make our locations personal to him. 

Derelict Playground

Shooting at a derelict playground was a must for our film to truly speak to the audience. We wanted to show that his drawings and transportation's were beginning to go wrong. This too has an impact upon the audience; it leaves them bewildered, questioning what is going on. 

As our plot reveals, the boy draws and intends upon visiting a beautiful, lively playground, but is then deeply distort when he arrives at something a little more dead. This reveals to the audience that something slightly spooky is happening. The questions left are those such as, "why is the playground derelict", "what's going on"

We intend on creating this effect on the audience; we want them to feel spooked with unanswered questions flying around, leaving them with a passion to watch more. 

Possible Locations - Dilys Latham

Pavillion Gardens - We chose the Pavillion Gardens in our initial research as it is a lively and cultural place and as our main character is a aspirational designer we thought it would be fitting for him to choose to escape to a place of art and a unique setting.

Shoreham By Sea - The boat yard in Shoreham is very peaceful and serene, as our main character is deeply troubled at home and is constantly being oppressed, we believed that a open and quiet setting would be appropriate for him to escape to.

The Dolphin - The Dolphin leisure centre offers a place of enjoyment and leisure to those who visit, the location would work well in our short film as it could perhaps suggest the childhood our character missed out on, however the Dolphin isn't a very interesting location and having our character swim in the pool does not quite work with our narrative as the character wants peace and swimming pools are not peaceful.

Lewes Castle and Priory Garden - We are considering filming at Lewes Castle as the location is a classic fairytale castle and communicates our characters need for a new life away from his discriminative family.

Playground - A playground would also be appropirate to film in because it is where children go to play and meet friends. Our character missed out on this as a child because of his parents keeping him hidden and a secret because of their embarresment of his lifestyle.

Derelict House - When the narrative twists and our character begins to be trapped within his drawing we decided we needed to show the extent of his entrappment and so deemed it befitting for him to try and go back home through a drawing but instead he is presented with a broken down house which is abadoned.

Kipling Gardens Rottingdean - The gardens have a very magical and fantastical atmosphere to them which we considered would work well in our plot because of the characters need for escape to another world.

Brighton Pier - Brighton Pier is a lively place where many children go to hang out with friends and have fun we think this will work well in our short as it shows that our character desperatley wants to be accepted and enjoy life.

Abadoned Fairground - We are going to include our character journeying to an abadoned fairground to again show his growing entrappment in  his drawings and that at first his escape to other worlds is now becoming a nightmare

Bowling Alley - For the same reasons as the pier and swimming pool we are considering a bowling alley as it is a place of enjoyment and would particularly appeal to a young male.

Building the Synopsis

We have decided that our short film will entail the story of a young male character who uses his drawings as a form of escape from his harsh life. In his reality he has at a cross-road as he tries to deal and understand his sexuality and also live with his un-accepting family. Throughout the story we will unveil the problemswith an avoidance of situations and the power of imagination.Our character will become so reliant upon his drawings and fictional worlds, he enters that they eventually become sinister and it is revealed that he is trapped inside his own imagination.

By Dilys and Lisa

Appearances - Dilys Latham

Appearances

VirginMediaShorts

Film Maker:  Amancay film

Genre: Social Realism

Synopsis: A story about why we must not judge a book by its cover

Running time: 2:19

I have decided to analyze Appearances for my research as I think it thoughtfully presents the problem with pre-judgement and social class still apparent in modern society. Although the film is short there is also great character development of the man and woman which successfully allows for audience connection and understanding. I have also chosen the short for the simplicity of the narrative and the subtle twist at the end.

Representation:

 Representation of social class is very successfully displayed in this short film to help criticizes modern society and it embedded ideologies. The medium shots and use of mise en scene set the audience up to pre-judge a characters wealth and culture, its set in a café full of vibrant colours and the young female actress who has neat combed hair and is dresses in a floral summer dress all set up both of which suggest comfortable middle class setting and woman, it is when the lower class homeless man enters the shop the stereotypes become even clearer. He is dressed in black and dreary colours whilst supporting a big coat and hat implying the idea of being outside. At the end of    the film when it is revealed that the woman is also in a sense homeless and un-employed those previous stereotypes are demolished and it is then the audience understand the problem with social class and its superstructure.

       Having social realism as a theme of the short allows the creator to play with the representations of social class, the woman’s presentation and thus criticize society and its process of judging a book by its cover                                                                                                                                                              

The two main characters representation are interesting in the short as to begin with they both seem to be subject to very stereotypical presentations of middle class and lower class however as the film develops and it is revealed that the woman is very much in the same predicament as the homeless man it becomes clear that the earlier images of class have been made stereotypical to highlight the problem with pre-judgment.

The audience for short would most likely be female the use of representation considered this fact and represented the young woman as of traditional middle class so that the females in the audience could find the character relatable or engage them in understanding women around them.

In a sense the film does deal with issues of difference between social classes and the problem of pre-judgement among humans. The characters in the short simply play a metaphor for the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ at the beginning it is the man asking for money but at the end the roles are reversed and he gives her the money back and they have been set up like this so the audience can reflect upon judgements they make themselves and the effects of this upon others and when collectively society itself.

Narrative:

Bordwell and Thompson’s Narrative Theory:

     The plot is in a linear structure as it shows the two characters, who from an outsiders point of view would never dross paths, but in the short it is revealed that the pair are in fact in similar positions. The story would be the character’s lives and the problems they face being unemployed and in the plot of the film we see the two characters meet and the ironic bond is formed.

Todorov’s Narrative Theory:

Considering Appearances in terms of Todorov’s theory is effective as it allows the audience to establish the importance of roles and changes in characters. At the equilibrium the audience is introduced to the female character and to begin with she is portrayed as an average middle class woman who looks after herself and goes out for a coffee. When the disruption takes place in the middle of the short we are introduced to the man who it is suggested is homeless and has to beg  for money to simply be able to eat. It is not until the resolution when the metaphor of the short truly becomes apparent as the audience realises the woman is also unemployed and homeless. This narrative theory can be applied well as it shows the transition of characters and the problem with society and its expectations of people.

Genre:

 It is difficult to name the genre of this short film as it does not directly fit into any existing category but having watched the film and seen that it deals with problems of social class and expectations of class the film could be viewed as social realism.

Short films typically use genre to help tell a story but they also use genre to break conventions and boundaries to tease the audience and provide something more interesting for their target audience.

Steve Neal Genre Theory:

It is interesting to consider the short in terms of Neal’s theory as he declares that ‘genres are instances of repetition and difference’ and this is very true of Appearances. The simple plot is easy to follow but does not hold very much value till the end of the short when it is reveals that the woman is not your typical middle class woman but is instead an unemployed homeless person and it is because of this change in narrative that makes the film far more enjoyable.

Rick Altman’s thoughts on genre:

It is difficult to apply Altman’s views on genre onto Appearances as it is difficult to address themes of social realism in semantic codes, however the use of stereotyping on the coffee shop and a middle class female, have far greater effect than obvious genre conventions as it allows for ideas of pre-judgement to be established and addressed.

David Buckingham on Genre:

Buckingham argues that genre is a ‘constant process of change and negotiation’ and this is evident with the short film appearances as issues of social class are addressed with a much more subtle modern approach where the underlying problems of social realism are not made clear until the end.

Audience:

The expected audience for this short film would probably be people of the age 16+ and it may also be swayed towards a female audience due to the relatable female lead and issues in the film that an audience of older and more educated humans would understand. The film was on the Virgin Media Shorts website and is on there being celebrated as it is created by a young unknown film maker.

Media Language:

Although this short does not include a large range of shots and angles and there is only one setting I think the effective use of mise en scene is important in the sequence. It is set in bright middle class café and the female character is very much a stereotypical woman, wearing a floral dress and neatly brushed hair. The man in the short is also very much a stereotypical homeless person all dressed in black and wearing a large coat and hat. These thoughtful uses of setting and costume help to address the underlying theme apparent in the film which is that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. 

Coming of Age - Dilys Latham

Coming of Age

Created by Charlie Goodger and Ben Goodger

Synopsis: A young boy struggles with his new responsibilities in a brutal post-apocalyptic future

2009

I chose to analyse Coming of age as I liked the fast and suspense filled narrative and also the underlying theme of bildungsroman. The fast tracking shots and desolate locations effectively convey the appearance of a post apocalypse world and make the characters desperation for survival seems less drastic.

Representation:

·         As the film is set post-apocalypse it is hard to determine any social groups as it would appear all characters are in the same predicament, searching for food and shelter, however it is clear that the two men have power over the young boy due to their being two of them and because they possess a weapon.

·         It appears that the young boy in the film has had to grow up and endure adult responsibilities in very short space of time which reflects upon his representation, he is young but his cautious and clever actions suggest a far older and wiser age.

·         This film would probably have been made for a slightly older male audience and so the characterisation of the boy and his actions have been made relatable to those of boys in the audience who have gone through the transition of coming of age. The interesting use of colour and fast cutting sequence also reflect how the main character now lives his life, completely on edge and in suspense of what will happen next.

·         The film deals with the theme of coming of age, the main character has to survive and protect the girl in this new world in which he lives, this is included to show the struggle of any child going through this transition and it is just highlighted in the film as the boy has had to grow up at a much quicker rate.  

Narrative:

Narrative Theory – David Bordwell and Kristen Thompson

  

Story:

The story is that there has been an apocalypse on earth which has left the world in chaos, we learn by hearing the children’s laughter and then seeing the feathers burning and the boy at the graveside, through this the audience can presume there has been disaster. However it would be an extremely long film if the entire story was included so the short film follows a young male as he struggles with his new brutal life.

  

Plot:

The plot is made up of certain events, in the order chosen to tell the story. In Coming of Age the moments included show what a typical day could be for a young boy living in the aftermath of an apocalypse could be like; for example feeding the girl and risking his life to get the medication needed. These choices have been specially made, to make the audience empathise with the boy in a very short space of time and therefore understand his character and situation better. The events have also been included as they show how the boy has had to grow up quickly and take on the responsibilities of an adult.

Todorov’s Theory of Classic Narrative 1977

Todorov’s theory can be applied to Coming of Age as there’s an equilibrium, disruption and resolution. By using the theory we can see how brutal and harsh life has become for the protagonist and it allows us to empathise with him as we discover how he lives and his responsibilities. It also shows us how humans could end up behaving like animals if an apocalypse ever did happen and the basic instinct of survival in all humans.

Claude Levi-Strauss and Binary Oppositions

In Coming of Age we have a very clear divide between good and evil so Levi-Strauss theory can be applied. The protagonist, a young boy represents good as he cares for the girl and risks his own life to get her the medication she needs, the two bandits’ present evil they are animal like and will kill to get what they want. The narrative is based around this as we support the boy and want him to succeed against evil.

Genre:

·         Coming of age is a thriller and action film due to the fast paced sequences filled with suspense and the journey the boy must venture upon to obtain the medicine for survival. Short films typically use genre to help tell a story but they also use genre to break conventions and boundaries to tease the audience and provide something more interesting for their target audience.

Neal’s theory of genre:

·         Neal’s theory of instance and repetition can be applied to Coming of age as although there and many thrillers and coming of age films, it more original due to it being set in the future after an apocalypse and the boy having to deal with killers rather than his peers.

Altman’s theory of genre:

·         There are many semantic codes and conventions in Coming of age which help to show and supply the audience with a thriller. The interesting use of camera work throughout the film helps to build suspense and enigma, from the fast tracking shot to the point of view and close up shots they all working together to build an intense atmosphere for the audience. The clever use of dark and dreary colour also helps to show the protagonist’s fear and isolation, which is something many children have to deal with when they come of age.

Buckingham Genre Theory:

·         Buckingham’s theory of negotiation and change in genres is clear in Coming of Age, it is not similar to many more conventional thrillers set in big cities, in which there is big rivalry between two gangs, it is instead breaking these boundaries of conventions and dealing with much simpler issues of basic human survival. This much simpler and interesting approach to a thriller makes the film very much plausible.

Audience:

·         I expect that target audience for this film would be for the age rage 16-25 as teenagers and young adults enjoy the thrill and excitement in action-packed fast paced films. I also put the teenagers into the demographic as they will be experiencing coming of age and would find the film relatable. Coming of Age was screened at both the Lund International Fantastic Film Festival in 2011and the Donostia/San Sebastian Horror and Fantasy Film Festival in 2010.

Media Language:

·         I think the use of tracking shots in the sequence in the woods in particularly effective as it generates a create sense of urgency and fear, the audience want the boy to outrun the men and to safety.

·         The scene shot in the old house I think is also very cleverly shot as the close up shots of the axe and of the man’s feet leaves the audience in a state of purgatory for a few moments as they are scared for the boy being found and also what wil happen if he is.

·         The desolate and isolated shots I think are also very current as they really establish that sense of a death of an old world and the beginning of a new empty world of terror and fear.

Playground - Dilys Latham

Playground

Directed by Mark Kuczewski

Synopsis: Short thriller about a man who picks up a young female hitchhiker and on the journey we learn of the man’s past and what his intentions really are.

I chose to analyse Playground as I found the development and portrayal of the main character Gordon interesting as the story is told to us from his point of view and with his narration which is not common in thrillers as the story is normally portrayed from the hero’s view. I thought the lighting and use of camera throughout the short was very effective as it gave it a sense of mystery, isolation and something eerily sinister all of which are important in any great thriller.

Representation

·         It is evident from the beginning of the film that we are dealing with character from a lower class background as he talks of his drunken mother and how he was ridiculed at school. However as the man is dressed in a shirt and tie and has his hair swept into a middle parting there is a suggestion of an more professional job which aids us in trying to understand his characters and his characters actions as it implies that although he may live a comfortable middle class life now, his past with his mother has terrible consequences upon his actions.

·         The girl who is hitchhiking is also clearly from a lower class background as she has run away from home which is most popular among young adults of the social background. It is interesting that the film deals with two people from a lower class background as it suggests that perhaps because of their upbringing they have both made the wrong choices or haven’t had any choice at all.

·         As the short is a thriller there is a suggestion that because of its sinister and painful storyline that the characters representations will then reflect upon their social class. However as it has a social realism style to it there is an indication the film is instead trying to portray the harsh reality for some people with a less wealthy background.

·         The character Gordon is particularly thought-provoking when considering his representation in the short as he is narrating the short throughout the audience is told of his painful life as a child however the audience does not empathize with him due to the lighting and camera shots which show him with a dark shadow across his face suggesting something dark and un-trustworthy and extreme close up subjective shots which have a profound effect as they effectively convey his heart-less and evil soul which is then reinstated through the narrative. Gordon’s character is a slight stereotype, a lonely middle aged man with a painful past picking up young girls, however I wouldn’t say it is a  negative stereotype as the narrative informs the audience that he has always been an unloved and unaccepted person.

Narrative:

Bordwell and Thompson Narrative Theory:

·         The use of plot and story in Playground is very effective as it begins at the end but the audience is not aware of this until the end of the film which gives the narrative a pleasant twist as the audience realise he has been relating this story buried under soil in his grave and because of this the audience also feels justice is done, Gordon got what he deserved. As the plot is in a non-linear structure it helps also to explain the characters actions and makes the twist at the end more enjoyable.

·         What is also significant with Playground is that it does not simply have a narrative and plot but there is also Gordon’s life story being told which is uncommon in short films but is clever in this short as it allows quick character development and scrutiny and therefore has a more profound effect on the viewer.

Vladimir Propp Theory of Narrative:

·         Playground is interesting when considering it in terms of Propp’s narrative theory as to begin with the audience is presented with a villain in the form of the main character Gordon, who picks up young hitchhikers and kills them however it would seem Katie, the young female in the short, who is initially portrayed as the victim is actually is anything but and at the end the audience discovers she is really a strong justice seeking female.

·         Propp’s theory is also important as it highlights the key themes of the film and the importance of justice and insanity. It suggests an audience whom immediately judge and pre-determine a characters role in the narrative is wrong to do so as the characters actions are caused by something and they can change in the space of the beginning and end of the plot.

Claude Levi-Strauss – Narrative Theory:

                                  

·         Levi-Strauss said that ‘all narratives are organised around the conflict between binary oppositions’ which is fascinating when applying it to Playground as in the short film we clearly have the evil character in Gordon and the innocent good character in Katie and the plot is based around their meeting and story. However at the end it becomes apparent that Katie is quite evil as she kills Gordon and so perhaps that yes, the narrative is organised by the actions between the two characters but what is effective in this short is that there is a reversal of roles which gives the film more value.

Genre:

·         Short films typically use genre to help tell a story but they also use genre to break conventions and boundaries to tease the audience and provide something more interesting for their target audience. The two genres apparent in Playground are thriller and social realism; it is riddled with suspense and enigma but also presents the audience with a harsh reality.

Steve Neal:

·         Neal’s theory of genre is that they are ‘instances of repetition and difference’ which is apparent in the short film Playground. To begin with the short seems very much your typical thriller; there’s an evil man and a young helpless female woman and this is what an audience expects to see when going to watch the thriller, a battle between good and evil. However in Playground it is the twist at the end which makes the thriller more enjoyable and exciting to watch as it makes the thriller break genre conventions.

Rick Altman:

·         Playground uses many semantic conventions to help communicate the thriller to the audience. The use of lighting and juxtaposing between light and dark in the same shot is very effective at simulating a sense of fear within audience it also creates mystery in the narrative which keeps the audience interested. The internal monologue from Gordon is where the thriller breaks the typical conventions of a thriller as it allows for insight and character understanding.

David Buckingham:

·         Buckingham’s theory is that genre is not simply given by culture but rather is a constant process of negotiation and change which can easily be applied to Playground. The short to begin with is a suspense riddled thriller with plenty of typical genre conventions however after the audience has viewed the entire thriller and understood its non-linear structure the dynamic boundaries set up at the beginning are changed. The actions of the characters becomes blamed up their social circumstances as children and the audience then realises that social realism is just as much a genre for the film as thriller is.

Audience:

·         The expected audience for this short would probably be for male and female demographic with the ages of 16+ due to the adult themes and issues current in the film and also because they would be more likely to appreciate and understand the short. The clever use of lighting and close up shots with the themes and issues addressed would both please its audience due to its relevance and breaking of conventions. The film was shot by a small team of university graduates and was screened at the BKSTS London, BFI.

Media Language:

·         The lighting and camera are very effective in Playground as not only do they create suspense and mystery but they also allow for very quick character development. The intimate close up shots with Gordon throughout as his narrates his past, allow for the audience to see the lack of remorse he has and then at the end when it is revealed he is telling the story from his grave a sense of justice is established.

·         The colour in the sequence is all dark blues and blacks which is fits in with the themes of evil and good and crime and punishment. It is also effective as it allows for the audience to understand the isolation of the characters and the world in which they live as the colour is so dark and gloomy.  

·         The film is all shot at night which has connotations of secrecy and mystery which is key to any good thriller but also important for this thriller as it stops the audience from empathizing with Gordon.