The establishing shot shows
the countryside setting in which two characters come into shot in shabby hats.
In the background there are a group of other middle aged working class
characters, all similarly dressed. This shows that they are all within the same
age range, working as a community.
All of the older characters
are wearing denim jackets, coats, chequered shirts and plain, dirty trousers.
This shows that they are working class characters and the dirty clothing
especially, suggests that they have been working at the farm a long time.
The younger characters, Amy
and Paul’s son, are wearing t-shirts, hoodies and jeans which are more
fashionable clothing compared to the working class characters. Although Paul’s
son is working, he is wearing more presentable clothing than the others. They
both look almost out of place with their clean clothes in the middle of a dirty
farm environment.
The headmaster’s senior age
and status is represented through his costume – tweed jacket, tie, sensible
jumper. Also, his grey beard emphasises his late middle age and sets him apart as
different from Amy and Paul. His overall costume shows that he is traditional and
of a higher class than the working class characters. He drives an expensive car
and his language, accent and posture, shows authority, which comes with age.
His manners whilst speaking to the younger girl, Amy, shows his power over her.
In the scene, where the
headmaster is talking to Tom, the use of the prop; the glass of brandy, shows
that the headmaster is being given respect, by being handed it. The cut glass
that is used for the brandy also portrays Paul as quite wealthy and perhaps
materialistic. The mise-en-scène of the costume is significant as the
headmaster is showing his higher class and status. The scene also uses key
lighting to highlight the headmaster in the shot. There is a contrast between
the background and the headmaster.
Different shot
types/camera angles
Camera shots are used to
represent different age groups. A mid shot of Amy and Paul’s son show their
relationship and age similarity. As they are wearing similar clothing, it shows
that they are of the same status/class. The mid shot also allows us to see the
emotion and body language portrayed by the two characters. Amy’s tense body
language and anxiousness, portrays her as worried and unsure. Close up shots
are used in this scene and throughout the clip to portray the character’s
emotions. In this scene, with the close ups, small facial expressions and mood
changes can be recognised.
Also,
the way Amy slouches as she stands emphasises her youth and immaturity. This is
accentuated by the particular camera angle, which looks down on Amy, portraying
her as young and small. The juxtaposition
of the setting is key as the background is very dark and boring but when Amy
comes into the shot, it is clear how much brighter she is because of her
clothing.
Amy’s face expresses worry
and apprehension, (close up shot), while she is trying to remember how to drive
a car. The audience is unaware that she is only sixteen at this point in the
clip. However, the close ups do allow the audience to determine Amy’s age; Amy’s
young, vulnerable character allows the audience to take pity on her. Amy’s youth is again confirmed when she is muttering to herself, trying to
remember the correct order of the pedals.
Paul’s conversation with Amy, while he is shouting, is shown from two
different angles. The first angle, Paul’s perspective from above, shows the
vulnerability of the young, sixteen year old Amy. The second angle, from below,
shows Amy looking up at Paul. This shows Paul’s power over Amy. The amount of
power that Paul has is a result of his age and authority and which he uses to
his advantage.
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