British Social Realism - Production Log 3

British Social Realism - Production Log 3

Silent Explosion from This is England Opening

This week in Media we were studying the use of sound in British Social Realist films. We first learnt about the types of sound that is used within this genre of film. In a social realist film the majority of the sound used will be diegetic as this is much more realistic and believable for the audience to watch rather than a film filled with with fake sounds. This consists of dialogue, the most common type of sound. Often these films from time to time will include some foley sound, this sound is made to be added on top of the original video to make the sounds appear more realistic, however by not trying to add in false sound helps to add to how realistic the films really are. 

British Social Realist films do not often use diegetic sound but when it does it is used for a s very specific reason for example music. A very specific song will be chose for a film, one that represents the setting as well as possible, for example rap will be used to connote the grim nature of a urban environment. It will also be used to set the era of the film, an old song will connote it is set in the past. Sound bridges are another example of sound being used to connote something, this would be either how something has effected something or to show a space in time. A sound bridge is a term used when one song or piece of audio continues over two scenes, it will often fade out during the start of the second scene.

Through learning about what sound is used in British Social Realist films I can use this to my advantage to create a better and more believable opening in my opening. I know that when choosing a song to use during the opening it must be relevant to the current era, location and any other things for example ethnicity. Certain songs connote certain things about people and where they come from. In addition to the song I have also learnt that minimal editing to sound can be detrimental, it leaves the video without much substance and just feels bland and boring however on the contrary too much sound editing is reserved more for hollywood movies as they aren't meant to be realistic whereas a British Social Realist film is. I would need a good mix between the use of non diegetic and main diegetic sound

This shouldn't have a major affect during production of my opening for the film, Most of the sounds will be kept as realistic as possible meaning that we will not need to worry about recording a huge log of foley sounds to add into the film or record any sound effects for the film. However it will affect post-production because of the fact that we are having to add in songs and non-diegetic sound to set the mood and the era of the film.

British Social Realism - Analysis of Mise-en-Scene

British Social Realism - Analysis of Mise-en-Scene

Film: This is England

Video Source

British Social Realism - Production Log, Week: 2

British Social Realism - Production Log, Week: 2

This week we learnt about the different conventions of a social realism film and how that would appeal to the audience. The biggest thing to include is mise-en-scene as long as it is based on reality, therefore sticking as close to what would be realistic. For example clothing is a very important aspect, so in an urban area a hoodie and tracksuits would be a very typical choice of clothing to wear and use in a social realist film. Lighting is also another very important aspect in these types of films, it often uses natural lighting and from time to time may use artificial lighting when inside and most of the time will use a blue/low saturation colour correction to help bring the mood down.

We also discussed the archetypes of characters in a social realist film. This includes The Lost Boy (main character, who as a big issue/problem), the failing man (a worse off Lost Boy), the weak but aggressive man (bully), downtrodden woman (suffering woman/mother), the saviour (who turns the story around for the lost boy), the follower (will follow most people and often switches sides) and the female with a conscience (the strong character.) In addition to this we also 
discussed sound. 


In a social realist film there is a lack in how much diagetic and non-diagetic sound editing occurs. Often there will be very few if not any sound effects added in because this is seen as unrealistic. This goes as the same for foley sounds, even thought it is meant to increase realism, it is believed sometimes less is more. Sound mixing will occur but often the dialogue and sound is kept as natural as possible, many British social realist films will have their actors improvise their lines instead of repeating a script. There isn't much non-diagetic sound except for music, which is only used to set the scene and give more of a back-story to a location depending on the genre of music.


From this week I have found out that in my production I will be using these conventions to my own benefit, for example implementing different archetypes into the plot as well as using specific lighting and mise-en-scene. This will help to draw on that pessimism and fit the criteria for a social realist film.

British Social Realism - The Selfish Giant Analysis

British Social Realism - The Selfish Giant Analysis

Social Class:

In the film, it is denoted that the location is the northern part of England because of many different things. The first thing that denotes this is the accents of the people and the quality of living. In the film we can see that Swifty's family has very little posessions, for example the rooms are very empty, as well as the fact that they are having to give away dsome of their possessions because they cannot pay the bills. This connotes the social issue of social class showing a big gap between those at the top and the bottom. Most people are working class but still continue to mock those who are underclass such as Swifty. This connotes that the community is very divided and there is a lot of tension between those living there and that nobody is listened to or  given any support. It connotes just how harsh reality is for them and suits the British Social Realism genre because it fits the depressing and harsh reality criteria.

In this shot we can see a mid-shot/long shot, as it is somewhere between the two showing just how empty the room is, it depicts a very bare room along with a very rugged carpet, this connotes that the poor are discriminated by the rest. We can also hear a lot of noise in this scene, this connotes that the children that live in the house aren't living in very comforting environments and to an extent suffering.

Age:

The social issue of age is also very big in this film, we can denote that Arbor and Swifty, two minors who are supposed to be in school are having to work. This connotes that there is no barrier between the children and the adults in society, this isn't a very common thing to see as most of the time you will see people that are under the age of 16 at school and not working in a scrapyard. This connotes that Kitty is taking advantage of the children for his won benefit and therefore shows that there is no respect for the younger generation. This could potentially be seen as child abuse, therefore very fitting for British Social Realism, it is often a very typical thing to show children who aren't living in ideal realities in British Social Realism because children are viewed as innocent. 

In this shot we can see that the compostition of the shot depicts Arbor and Swifty in a long shot, connoting that they are very small and especially in comparison to Kitty. By placing them alongside the scrapyard scenery it shows that they are very exploited by the older generations. In addition Swifty and Arbor are also blurred out slightly in the background, connoting that because they are children people don't listen to them and are ignored by the rest of society.

Disability:

In the film we can denote the social issue of disability through Arbor's condition, which is ADHD and Swfity's mother who seems to have some sort of depression. This affects how each person behaves. For example Swifty's mother is mocked by people in the local area and the same goes for Arbor as he is overly aggressive. This connotes to us that in British social realism there is a lot of mocking of the main characters of the film so that you can feel sympathy for them. It also connotes that in these films there isn't much help for the characters, leaving them helpless.

This shot of Arbor uses a close up to show the anger that Arbor has while he is coping with his disability and the very grey colour correction used on the image connotes that it isn't very comfortable to cope with and is very depresssing as grey is viewed as a very depressing colour. The fact that the compostion of the shot shows Arbor lying down in a small confined space connotes that Arbor may feel trapped with very little hope of recovery.

Gender:

In the film, there is a lot of difference because of gender. In this area the role of a women is seen as far inferior to the men, for example Swifty's mother is exploited by his father and Arbor's mother is in a similar sort of situation and isn't noticed by the men. This connotes that in British Social Realism and the area they are in is not very equal in terms of gender. This further connote that in this specific genre of film that women are often depicted as weak and inferior to the males.

In this shot we can see that his mother is depicted as weak and inferior as she is mistreated by his father. This is shown by the costume and face which appears very stressed, suggesting that she is exploited and that she is not of equal value in their reality. In addition this scene has a lot of fast cuts which connotes that there is a lot of instability and therefore that how she is treated is also unfair.

Regional Identity:

The social issue of regional identity is denoted by the accents and the environment. In addition there is a scene that is shown many times, the scrapyard. Another example would be when Kitty threatened Arbor by putting his hand in the machinery. This connotes that people in the north of England are very aggressive and not friendly like they are in the South.

In this scene the lighting is very low-key  this connotes that the scene is also very sinister and only further makes the film fit the sinister and dark theme of British Social Realism films.

Sexuality:

In this film there isn't very much about sexuality as the film is mainly focussed on the children, Arbor and Swifty, as they are very young it wasn't a very common thing. However in this film there are a lot of homophobic jokes, that aren't very serious and of course not meant to be very serious. In this scene Swifty jokes about looking into his window while he is getting changed. The fact that it is so casual connotes that homophobia is common and that it is not acceptable in their society. 

This shot shows a very overly optimistic colour palette in comparison to the rest of the film, suggesting that isn't a very out of place thing in terms of where they are living and therefore connotes that homosexuality in this film is not accepted and is discriminated against.

British Social Realism - Past Students Evaluation

South Paw

Strengths:
The location and the place of recording was very well suited towards the genre of British Social Realism, it also included appropriate mise-en-scene in terms of good clothing and props, they suited the location very well as they all connoted a very urban and potentially run down neighbourhood. The typography of the graphics were very grunge looking and dirty, which suited the dirty looking location of the opening. Finally the behaviour of the characters and how the protagonist reacted at the start was very typical of the suburban/urban areas of living.

Weaknesses: 
The camera language was relatively poor, it didn't include a huge variety of shot types or camera movement. In addition to the lack of shot variety the camera wasn't controlled very well and it seemed rushed and made the opening look unbelievable. The music of the opening wasn't very fitting of the genre, it could have used a much more down beat song that reflected the mood better of the opening.

My Mark: 34/60 (L3)

Fast Life:

Strengths:
Music of the opening reflected the mood of the play well, it was typical of the urban music interests and so made the opening seem believable. The graphics were typical of a British Social Realism Film. The costumes and locations of the opening were well suited to the story, they fit the stereotypes.

Weaknesses: 
Sound Levels of the opening weren't managed well or at all, there would be parts where the wind could be heard and parts overpowered the rest of the audio making it hard to distinguish. Too many long shots throughout the opening made it very boring and didn't catch attention of the viewer. Graphics were too quick to read.

My Mark: 25 (L2)

Damaged Goods:

Strengths: 
The graphics were very appropriate and fit the genre of British Social Realism very well. The opening used a wide variety of different and creative shot types which appealed more to the viewer, they were interesting. Mise-en-scene was used very well, the clothing, suited the sort of dodgy career of the characters, as a result it helped to make the story of the opening very clear to the audience.

Weaknesses: 
A lot of the opening was recorded outside at night, as a a result it was a little too dark to see everything, it would have been better to record earlier. Even thought the shots were creative, a lot of them seemed to repeat and made the opening a little bit too repetitive. The audio was more or less fine however the music could have been slightly better to fit the dark job they had.

My Mark: 45 (L4)

Suffocation:

Strengths:
The storyline throughout the opening was made very clear and used good mis-en-scene throughout the play, making it believable with a good story/plot. There was a mixture of long shots and close ups as well as more, which made the variety of shot types good.

Weaknesses:
The graphics in the shot were very original as they fit with the location however they were very unclear due to the colour of the text, making it hard to distinguish all the characters from the video. Halfway through the opening the time of say skipped from day to night, which was too sudden and made it more confusing, it would have been better to put a clip in time lapse. 

My Mark: 40 (L3)

Bridges: 

Strengths: 
The Audio and video at times appeared to be synchronised with each other and made the opening flow a lot better, it made it more enjoyable. They used good clothing and locations to record in and set up the environment very well.

Weaknesses:
Graphics were too small and couldn't be read easily. The music wasn't as fitting as it could have been and in conjunction to an unclear plot mad the opening hard and easy to understand what was going on. The editing of the opening seemed to be too weak, there were many shots that went on for too long.

My Mark: 20 (L1)

Drained:

Strengths:
Appropriate graphics that were typical of the British Social Realism genre. Shows a very mundane story that would be experienced by most people whether they live in a urban environment or not. All round the camera language and mis-en-scene was good and looked to be real.



Weaknesses:
Music was too quiet at points and in some points levels were out of place and the music was a little to upbeat for the situation.

My Mark: 45 (L4)

Maze:

Strengths: 
Camera language was very well done, it had a good range of shot types with some creative thinking at the beginning as well, they also appeared to have been edited together well. The good camera language and plot helped make the story very easy to understand and clear. Also used good mise-en-scene.

Weaknesses: 
Graphics aren't typical of a British Social Realism film and in points wasn't helped by the audio levels being out of place. The location didn't seem dark or depressing enough to suit the genre of a British Social Realism Film.

My Mark: 50 (L4)

Further Analysis

Damaged Goods:

This opening was well made, it was very good at creating an intense and dramatic story, we can denote this by the getting ready at the beginning followed by the hanging around by cars at night. This was good at creating a powerful story as it connoted prostitution and isn't a topic that is normally covered in a film, making the audience feel uncomfortable watching it. This is very good as it follows the rules of a typical British Social Realism film by having a very negative story but also a negative influence as denoted by the mise-en-scene of the opening. There were many dark areas and lighting along with an urban location, which helped give the appearance of a rundown or unsafe are, connoting that there is a lot of crime apparent in this area. 

Bridges:

The biggest issue that i have with this opening is the fact that there isn't a very good story to the film, it may show ideas based on negative situations however it simply isn't negative enough in comparison to many other British Social Realism Films, for example the story of his father being against him boxing because of religion is very similar to experiences everyone endures multiple times, it simple doesn't have the impact on us like the story of prostitution in 'Damaged Goods'.

British Social Realism - Production Log, Week: 1

This week we started the first week of the first coursework unit. The unit is based upon British Social Realism films and that our task is to produce a two minute opening sequence to a film that we are coming up with.

This week we spent a lot of time looking at previous applicants work and assessing it, we would look at the mark scheme to see what the final piece is assessed on and then consider what past applicants would have gotten from theirs and how they could have improved theirs. We looked through them and then wrote down how each one could have been improved. From looking at British Social Realism as a genre and past peoples work we have learnt a lot about what criteria need to be met in order for something to be part of British Social Realism. As a genre it is typically a very pessimistic story that doesn't often end in a happy ending like a kit of major movies. The story will also be very realistic and almost always be based upon a very mundane lifestyle set in a very typical suburb/urban environment. This is to make the film actually seem realistic as the outcomes and story are not absurdly over the top and upbeat. Another feature that we discovered as part of British Social Realism is that directors will often recruit  actors that aren't professional and as a result seems more relatable to as it is more realistic in terms of how the characters behave.

From looking over other past work, we can use this to help produce a higher quality piece of work, for example now I know not to use a very extravagant plot and not to use over the top editing and filming, so that the piece looks as though it would normally or more normally in a real life situation in comparison to major films. In addition to make the film more realistic I know to include specific locations and mise-en-scene, for example I will include very casual forms of clothing that are typical in the suburban/urban areas of the UK. This would include branded clothing and hoodies as this is a very typical form of clothing.

In addition to all the mise-en-scene I will try to include a very negative plot, which is not out of the ordinary, I will try to recreate a story that will most likely show the mundanity of school/work as part of my story, as this is something that everybody will be able to relate to. I will also know to  avoid using very bright colours when editing, so through the use of colour correction I will use a cool range of colours by using a blue hue, so that the film will appear to be much sadder which is the typical sort of theme for British Social Realism.

Edit Workshop Evaluation

What my storyline is Week 2!!!

180 Degree Rule
During the edit workshop we used the 180 degree rule throughout the scene, this rule is used to make sure that the audience isn't confused by the editing, for example if character 1 was on the ;left hand side of the screen, in the next shots throughout the scene they would have to remain in the same position, as a feature of continuity editing. To make sure that I followed this rule I made sure that all the clips that I picked where more than one character was present showed the Interrogator on the left hand side and the hostage on the right hand side, you can see this in shots 3-5 and 7-8. 

Match On Action
During the editing workshop we had to make sure that there was at least one match on action example, for me I made sure to include this at the beginning, where the interrogator opens the door from outside the room and then cuts to him opening the door on the inside and then walking in. The reason for including this is because it keeps the flow of the scene and makes sure that it isn't difficult to watch as well as helping to stop confusion in the audience

First shot where the interrogator opens the door.

Second shot where the interrogator opens the door from the inside and then continues to walk inside. 










Challenged that I faced during production
If I had the ability to re-film my storyboard I would definitely make changes. First of all I would have decided to change the narrative, I feel that the scene was too intense and difficult to record under normal circumstances and meant as a result we had issues during the production phase. We had to record multiple shots many times as well as having to move around a lot of tables and chairs in order to make sure that the shots had continuity. As well as issues with shooting we also had issues with the actual room, as almost all of the rooms in the school didn't fit the criteria of an empty blank room which we were looking for except for the conference room.

 Even though we had a room to record in we were limited by how often we could record in there as we need strict permission to use the room. Finally the last issues we had were outfits and props, we needed to make sure that the interrogator had a suit in order to intimidate the hostage and show himself to be relative to the Mafia or other similar crime related organisations, which would make the scene more intense for the audience as it is a familiar and feared concept throughout the world today. 

Challenges during post production
During production there wasn't many issues that i came across however the ones I did encounter affected the efficiency of which I was able to edit the clips, the biggest issue I came across was that we had a lot of shots of the same clip so it meant that I had to look through all the copies and find the one that was best suited towards our storyline. 

Strengths & Weaknesses
I think that my piece had many strengths and weaknesses, first of all i believe that the biggest strength of my work is the creativity of the story, it was much varied from the rest of the other groups ideas as it wasn't set inside a school, the idea was for an individual to be taken as hostage and then interrogated by a stranger, this is a strength I believe as it allowed to create a strong and intense scene for the audience because the situation that the hostage was put in was very different from the typical lifestyle of somebody. 

In addition to the storyline of the scene I think that our other major strengths were that we followed a lot, if not all of the filming techniques, this includes; 180 degree rule: Match on Action as during the first 2 shots the opening of the door is almost seamless as there isn't a noticeable movement: Rule of Thirds as throughout the filming we tried to make sure to keep the eye level one third down the screen at all times, especially during the closeups. 

On the other hand I think that the biggest weaknesses of the scene are down to the lack of people in the scene, in the scene we only have two characters and even though it works and the characters have a very limited background story in order to keep the audience thinking and develop their own background stories, I think that it makes the scene somewhat difficult to relate to and difficult for the audience to grasp.

Improvements
Finally I think that we could make a number of improvements from our edit workshop. I think that the first improvement we could make was the light, for example I think it would have been better if we could make the lighting darker and more sinister so that it suited the storyline better. The biggest thing that I think I would improve on the time spent for editing, I believe that the biggest issue I had for this task was the limited time I had personally to spend editing and recording, this meant that I was very restricted on how much i could do to the final piece. However I do feel that the editing in this piece is continuous there are parts in which I feel could be more seamless, for example where there is a cut to an over the shoulder shot, it seems a little too rapid.

Final Video