Film Evaluation

For my practical production I worked with Ellie Watson in order to produce a short film; we both had joint responsibility over camera, lighting, editing, sound and mise-en-scene. The genre of our film is horror combined with thriller. The film is about a school girl who is being stalked. To convey the genre we used micro elements such as sound, cinematography and mise-en-scene, we used the micro elements to communicate meaning and provoke audience response.

One aspect of mise-en-scene is setting. The main setting we used for our clip is a typical family home. We purposely did this as a family home is usually seen as a place of comfort and safety. However, our film challenges these expectations as a girl(Faye) is getting stalked and is killed within the family home. This puts the audience on edge as it is an everyday setting implying that it could happen to anyone at anytime. A further setting which is focused upon within the family home is the bath. The bath is usually a place to relax which juxtaposes with the death of Faye which occurs in the bath in our film. A further aspect of mise-en-scene which is used in our film is performance. Faye uses different facial expressions at different points in the film which convey to the audience how she is feeling. An example of this is when she receives a mysterious text message, she looks around confused which suggests to the audience something is not right. The use of facial expressions in our film allows the audience to understand how Faye is feeling throughout the clip. 

The sound in our film is key in building suspense and creating a sense of mystery for the audience. Water is a reoccurring sound which is purposely used throughout our film. One example of this is when Faye makes a drink, the water coming out of the tap and into the kettle is heightened followed by the sound of the water pouring out of the kettle into her cup. The diegetic sound is exaggerated which introduces the idea of the theme of water which continues through our film. The significance of the water creates a sense of mystery for the audience and acts as an enigma as the audience will begin to question its importance. Faye runs a bath, which again adds to the sense of mystery. The sound of the bath running is the prominent sound in this part of our clip as we enhanced the volume so it was louder than any of the other sounds in the clip. The final significant diegetic sound of water is when the bath tap is dripping at the end of our film. We put in slow dripping water as this meant the pauses in between each drip built tension provoking an audience response. Overall the reoccurring theme of water throughout our film acts as a subliminal message as it pre warns the audience and builds up to Faye’s death in the bath.

A further significant sound used in our clip is the sound of notifications from phones such as text messages being received and the sound of messages being typed. These are important aspects of our film as we never see the stalker however through the communication on the phones, we know that Faye is getting stalked. This builds tension as everytime the sound of a phone is heard, the audience presume it is the stalker. Overall the sound of notifications from phones is highly significant as it allows the audience to understand that although they can’t see the stalker, he is still present.

One aspect of cinematography which is key in our film is lighting. At the beginning of the film Faye is walking home from school on a naturally bright, sunny day. Once she gets inside the house everything is much darker as we purposely made it this way when editing. The lighting in the film gets darker as it goes on, finishing with a pitch black scene towards the end. We did this because it lowers the mood and shows the progress of events getting slowly worse for Faye as she gets inside the house. A further aspect of cinematography is camerawork which is again a key feature of our film. When the stalker is watching Faye from outside the kitchen window, the camera zooms in through the window in order to show Faye from the stalkers perspective. This is effective as it allows the audience to feel as though they are almost seeing through the stalkers eyes. This slowly creates tension for the audience as the camera zooms closer and closer to Faye.

In conclusion, I believe that the micro elements used in our film are successful in creating an atmosphere of tension and suspense for the audience as well as portraying the generic conventions of a horror combined with thriller film. The micro elements we used gradually increase the mystery throughout the film and imply to the audience that something bad is going to happen towards the end.

Micro essay - Final draft

This essay will analyse how the use of two micro elements, mise-en-scene and sound, create meaning and provoke audience response in an extract from the film 'Poltergeist' directed by Tobe Hooper in 1982. The clip this essay will focus on is the television scene 'They're Here' which centres around an American family, in particular a little girl called Carol Anne and her encounter with an evil entity.  


One aspect of mise-en-scene is setting. The clip is set in the bedroom of a family house. The setting is dark and not everything is visible which creates a sense of mystery for the audience.

The costume and make-up used in the clip are used to highlight Carol Anne’s innocence. She is dressed in pyjamas with bright blue eyes and rosy red cheeks. This is the typical innocent little girl which purely emphasises how sinister the energy is compared to Carol Anne. This triggers a nurturing emotion from the audience, making them want to protect her as they are aware she has now met with danger. 

The audience can see that the bedroom is clearly lived in as objects are out of place and clothes are scattered around the room. Photographs are displayed around the bedroom allowing the audience to infer that they are a close family unit. In the corner of the room is a window where the curtain is blowing, a bedroom is normally a peaceful place, however; this creates a sinister atmosphere for the audience and acts as a warning that something is going to happen. The bedroom also contains a lot of white objects and furniture, which has connotations of innocence, this contrasts with the unnerving atmosphere caused by the dark lighting in the room.

One significant prop used in this clip is the television. From the beginning of the clip the television is switched on, portraying different images such as grand American historical buildings, associated with unity and some that appear to have political importance. This allows the audience to understand the message of ‘unity’ making them aware this is perhaps a key symbol in the scene. A prominent image on the television screen is the silhouette hand grabbing out to the other hands below. The fact it's a silhouette creates a sense of mystery for the audience as they are forced to question and think about who the hand belongs to. The appearance of the silhouette hand on the screen also foreshadows what is about to happen, acting as a subliminal message to the audience of future events.  At the side of the television the time is displayed which is 02:37. This is an unusual time for the television to be on at, considering all the family members are asleep. Therefore, the audience begin to question why the television is still on in the early hours of the morning. 


A prominent prop in the clip is the helium heart shaped balloon which is on the wall next to the bed. At the beginning of the clip the heart balloon isn't visible to the audience. However, when the negative energy is released from the television it makes the heart visible. This allows the audience to see it is a deep red colour which suggests that they are a strong family unit as red has connotations of love and togetherness. When the energy is released it begins to move the heart shaped balloon, however it struggles to fall. This allows the audience to predict that there is going to be a struggle within the family. The balloon deflates and falls to the floor without being popped, implying that the energy is powerful and is there to disrupt innocent childlike fun. The fact that the energy takes the heart off the wall highlights that the purpose of the energy is to take the heart and soul of someone. This creates a sinister atmosphere for the audience as Carol Anne is very vulnerable.

The lighting in this clip is used to create a dramatic atmosphere and to warn the audience of sinister happenings. To begin with, the room is dimly lit suggesting that something sinister is going to happen. The light starts to flicker which acts as a warning to the audience. The room then becomes light and clear allowing the audience to see that the family are asleep, besides Carol Anne. This creates a threat and suggests to the audience something is going to happen. As the energy is released chaos is caused to the setting and the lighting changes again so that the audience cannot see what is going on. This creates a sense of panic and keeps the audience engaged in the scene.

The second micro element this essay will analyse is the use of diegetic and non diegetic sound. The scene opens with the diegetic sound of the National Anthem playing from the television. This holds connotations of unity and togetherness suggesting to the audience that they are a strong unit and a wholesome American family. The diegetic music of the National Anthem is playing from the television. This sounds becomes sinister as it is played while the family are sleeping, preparing the audience for the peace to be broken. The television abruptly cuts to white noise, creating an element of suspense for the audience. The television represents 'family time' to the audience, however; irony is created as the sound the television produces disturbs 'family time' and replaces it with something negative. This further acts as a warning to the audience that peace will be disturbed and allow them to expect some drama. 


The high-pitched strings of violins creates an ear piercing sound, forcing the audience to physically jump and feel uncomfortable. The noise halts to complete silence, which creates audience anticipation, keeping them focused on the narrative. The diegetic dialogue of Carol Anne says, “They’re here” in an innocent, young voice, which highlights to the audience the contrast between the sinister energy and the innocence of the little girl. Carol Anne says this line slowly and clearly, this suggests to the audience that she is unaware that this paranormal activity is of a threatening nature. 

Non diegetic sound is used when Carol Anne is crawling off the bed towards the television. The high pitched violin strings are used to constantly interrupt the melody which is playing forcing the audience to remain on edge, staying alert. As the energy is coming out of the television the music, which is playing builds to a loud crescendo, amplifying the impact of the energy and making the audience feel tense. The music then alters to a low pitch, which has connotations of threat, creating a sense of fear for the audience. 

The micro elements of mise en scene and sound in this essay are used to provoke a physical response from the audience of fear and anticipation. The use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound are used to build tension, allowing the audience to predict the narrative; that something negative is about to disrupt the scene. Overall, the micro elements in the clip ‘They’re here’ create a sinister atmosphere and keep the audience engaged in the narrative.

Messages and Values in the opening scenes of Harry Brown

Message: Loneliness of old age.
For example: When Harry Brown wakes up he turns round to his wife's pillow and touches it. He then looks at the photograph of his daughter who died. Once he gets up and gets ready, he has his breakfast and sits staring at the chair his wife would be sitting on.

Message: Criminality spiralling out of control.

Message: Lack of respect. 

Message: Appearance and reality. 

Value: Importance of human life (difference).

Bullet Boy Questions - Show me task

An example of how gun crime is represented as an important social issue is in Rio and Curtis' reaction to finding a gun, it is treated like finding a toy. This highlights how normal gun crime is in their everyday life. It also shows the availability of guns and how guns can be found almost anywhere.

Gender representations in Bullet Boy

Beverley:

• Strong mother of Ricky and Curtis
• Single parent 
• Selfless
• Works hard despite the struggles of living in an environment where there is a lack of ambition. 
• Cares about what is best for her children. 
• Example: She kicks Ricky, her older son, out of the house to give Curtis, her younger son, a better chance at life. 

Shea:

• Cares about Ricky and wants him to stay out of crime 
• Strong character
• In the end she can't cope and has lost patience with Ricky's involvement in crime. 
• Example: Towards the end of the film she breaks down crying and shows her frustration as she doesn't let him in her house because she has had enough of him and his involvement in crime. 

Ricky:

• Highly involved in crime
• Ex convict 
• Loyal to his friend Wisdom 
• Wants to get away from crime but he can't. 
• Reluctant to carry on participating in crime.
• Example: Talks to Shea, they plan to get away together so they can have a new start in life without being involved in crime. 

Wisdom: 

• Depends on crime subconsciously. 
• Struggles to escape from the life of crime.
• Doesn't know anything else but crime.
• Example: In the garage scene Ricky tells Wisdom he needs to get away, as they are in trouble with Godfrey. However, Wisdom doesn't realise the other options he has, he just stays in crime and thinks there is no way out.  

Themes and issues in The Krays, Bulletboy and Harry Brown

The Krays

•       Organised crime

•       Gun culture

•       A life of crime (i.e. crime as a profession)

•       Honour among villains

•       Loyalty and brotherhood

•       Gritty and realistic depictions of crime

•       Failure of law and the police

•       Appearance and reality

Bullet Boy

•       Poverty and deprivation

•       Gang crime

•       Gun culture

•       A life of crime (i.e. falling unwillingly into crime)

•       Desire to break away from criminal influences

•       Access to guns, especially for youngsters

•       Youth, the pressures on youth and a lack of opportunity, especially for black working class youth

•       Gritty and realistic depictions of crime

•       Innocent victims

•       Breakdown of the family

•       Strong female characters

•       Failure of the justice system

•       Under-privilege/disadvantage

Harry Brown

•       Drug abuse

•       Gang crime

•       Gun culture

•       Housing estates and the failure of social housing

•       Age (old age in particular)

•       Honour among criminals (how does this compare to The Krays?)

•       Gritty and realistic depictions of crime

•       Fractured British Society

•       The professionalism of the police

•       Strong female characters

•       Innocent victims

•       Breakdown of the family

•       Ineffective law enforcement and the failure of society to hold it to account

•       Sexual abuse

Bullet Boy Characters

Character: Ricky (Ashley Walters)
Character details: Main character.
Relationship with crime: At the beginning of the film he is in prison, he is involved with crime throughout the film but wants to get away from it, he states how he wants to turn his life around and get away from crime but in the end he doesn't have a chance to.

Character: Curtis (Luke Fraser)
Character details: Rickys little brother.
Relationship with crime: Largely involved in crime but doesn't intend on being, he shoots his friend by accident when he finds the gun stored in his house.

Character: Wisdom (Leon Black)
Character details: Rickys bestfriend.
Relationship with crime: Got differences to be solved against Godfrey and his gang. This results in him being shot.

Character: Rio (Rio Tison)
Character details: Curtis' friend.
Relationship with crime: Victim of accidental crime, shot by his friend Curtis when playing around with a gun.

Character: Beverley (Clare Perkins)
Character details: Mother of Ricky and Curtis.
Relationship with crime: Has to witness both of her sons somehow involved in crime although this is the last thing she wants for them. Has to cope with one of her sons being a victim of crime at the end of the film when he gets shot by Godfrey and his gang.

Character: Shea (Sharea Samuels)
Character details: Ricky's girlfriend.
Relationship with crime: Not directly involved with crime yet has to watch her boyfriend be involved in crime which causes her to be unstable.

Character: Godfrey (Clark Lawson)
Character details: Gang member.
Relationship with crime: Greatly involved with gun crime, shoots Ricky and Wisdom within the film.

Bullet Boy Questions

To which character does the title refer? 

The title could refer to any of the four characters: Ricky, Wisdom, Curtis or Rio. Firstly, the 'Bullet Boy' could be Wisdom as the gun originally belonged to him before Ricky has possession of it, Wisdom also gets shot during the film which is yet another reason why the title 'Bullet Boy' may refer to him. However, the title could also refer to Ricky as he brings the gun into his family home and is the reason why the following events occur. On the other hand, the title could refer to Curtis as he is the one who gets hold of the gun which is hidden in his house and shoots, Rio, his friend. This leads to yet another idea that Rio could in fact be the 'Bullet Boy' as he is the character which takes a bullet when he is accidentally shot by his friend.

What are the main messages, values and social issues in the film? 

One of the main social issues in the film is the consistent theme of gun crime. Throughout the film most of the characters come into a problem involving a gun. For example: Curtis shoots Rio, Wisdom and Ricky both die due to being shot, Beverley has to cope with her younger son being involved in gun crime at a young age. Gun crime is the biggest social issue that effects the most people within the film.

A main value in Bullet Boy is loyalty. This is shown through Ricky and Wisdoms friendship. Throughout the film hints are made to suggest that Wisdom once saved Rickys life. So now that Wisdom has got into trouble with Godfrey, Ricky stays loyal to him and becomes involved even though he is trying his best to turn his life around and not be involved with crime.

One of the main messages in the film is that black youths are associated with high incidences of social deprivation and criminal activity. This is shown through the lack of morals that the black youths have in the film and the amount of crime, particularly gun crime, that they are involved in.

How are the people and places represented in the film? 

Consider: 

-Whether the film offers a realistic view of London. How this representation differs from other common representations of London. 

-How the characters challenge and fulfill stereotypes. 
London is commonly represented as a place of tourism, drawing in people from around the world to visit the famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, The Tower of  London and The Big Ben. Also for the high streets and shopping centres. From this aspect, London is represented in a positive light. However, Bullet Boy offers a more negative yet realistic representation of what life is actually like in London. The film is set in North East London in an area which can be referred to as the 'murder mile'. This setting and the estate which Ricky lives on helps to give a representation of the high number of incidents which occur in modern day London, mostly involving guns. Another way in which London is represented realistically in the film is through the use of camerawork. The film is shot in a Super 16 film format which adds to the realism by making it look more like a documentary rather than a film.

Within Bullet Boy, Ricky both challenges and reinforces the stereotype of black youths. He reinforces the stereotype as he is involved in crime, handles a gun and has been in prison. However, throughout the film it focuses upon Ricky and his desire to change his life around and build a new start for himself which challenges the stereotype. Ricky's mum, Beverley, challenges the stereotype of black people because even though she is a working class mother she makes sure that she has time for her children and only does what is best for them and their futures. Within the film Curtis reinforces the general stereotype of black youths as he handles a gun at a young age and although it is accidental, he commits a crime.