In my documentary, i have decided to show two interviews with victims of child abuse. The reason why i have only chosen to show two interviews is because i feel it will give the documentary a sense of realism and make the audience form reactions of sympathy and empathy. The interviewees will be of different gender to appeal to both the male and female audience, this is because i do not want the target audience to be focused on one sex. Also, the interviewees will come from different class backgrounds and have two different stories. One interviewee will explain there ordeal of physical abuse, the other of emotional abuse. Thus, giving information on the 'full picture' of child abuse, not just a particular part.
Below, i have created a profile of each interviewee:
Gemma - Physical abuse victim:
Now 18 years of age, Gemma is living with her grandparents after finally revealing the truths behind her years of abuse. During her years of abuse she suffered beatings, rapes and bullying. Since speaking up about her ordeal she has made a life for herself and now attends a course weekly at college, she is getting her life back on track.
The reason why i have chosen Gemma to represent physical abuse is because she is a stereotypical teenager and will appeal to my target audience. She looks like a normal teenager and this would again add sense of realism and make the audience empathise.
Harry - Emotional abuse victim:
Harry is now 45 years of age, he has two teenage children and a wife of 20 years. Although, living with regrets and scars all of his life, he has become heavily involved with charities such as the NSPCC and Childline. He is a influential character and has been through awful ordeals. He is an inspiration to all victims of child abuse.
The reason why i have chosen Harry to represent emotional abuse is because i feel it would be interesting and surprising for the audience to see a fully matured man to give facts and opinions on his travelled past. Also, i feel that Harry could act as an expert because he is heavily involved with child abuse charities. I feel that he will prove to be an inspirational character.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Interviews Scripts
The codes and conventions of an documentary interview normally would be that the interviewee is an actual victim or witness and would be very naturalistic to convey realism. However, I was unable to contact any real victims therefore, the interviews have to be scripted in order to simulate the realism that the interview would usually give in a real documentary.
Victim 1 - Physical
Interviewer: What age did you first experience abuse?
Interviewee: “It all started at the age of 7, when my mum left my dad for another man.”
Interviewer: What do you think prompted the abuse?
Interviewee: "It was a mixture of things really. Both the break up and the drink... was a downward spiral from there."
Interviewer: Where and how did he hurt you?
Interviewee: "Well it started off at home with just a few pushes and shoves... But he started to get more and more violent. It got to the stage, when he saw I couldn't defend myself, where he would hit me for no reason.
Interviewer: You kept the abuse secret for so long, how did you keep it from family and friends?
Interviewee: "However I could... lies... make-up
Interviewer: What is your most vivid memory?
Interviewee: "The rape... I was only 10. It's strange because the abuse had actually calmed down a bit, really thought he was on the road to recovery. He came home one night and was real angry, he threw me to the floor and hit me repeatedly! I tried to resist but I couldn't... he was too strong. He always said "your mum was always as weak as you, that's why I loved her".
Interviewer: How has it affected you as a person?
Interviewee: "I find it really hard to trust people... but I have some really good friends. Getting my life on track... Finally getting the life I could only dream of.
Interviewer: Can you remember the day that you told your grandparents about the abuse?
Interviewee: Yeah, was the hardest thing I've ever done. I physically couldn't take anymore pain... my body was screaming, I had to tell someone. Cried for hours.
Victim 2 - Emotional
Interviewer: What age did you first experience abuse?
Interviewee: “Ever since I can remember, she used to call me names whenever I did anything slightly wrong.”
Interviewer: How often were you abused?
Interviewee: “Almost all the time. She used to tell me I was good for nothing. I was wrong. I had no one, no friends. It was constant.”
Interviewer: Did you ever think about telling anyone?
Interviewee: “Yeah, lots of times. But no one would have believed me. She was so nice to everyone and well respected by colleagues and friends.”
Interviewer: Did the abuse take place outside of the family home?
Interviewee: “No, never. I think she knew she was a terrible parent and was embarrassed by me. Whenever she went out she used to leave me home alone. I was left home alone from the age of 7. In a way it was a good thing because I had time to myself where there was no abuse and I could do what I wanted. I learnt how to look after myself from a very young age.”
Interviewer: Do you blame yourself?
Interviewee: “I don’t know sometimes I think I could have done more but I don’t think it would have changed how she was with me.”
Expert - NSPCC
Interviewer: Tell us a bit about your organisation
Interviewee: We're inspired by a belief that we can make a difference for all children. That’s why we aim to end cruelty to children in the UK. The NSPCC will never be big enough to be able to help every child who needs us but we aim to reach out to public and demonstrate what our organisation is about to help put a stop to child abuse.
Interviewer: What is ChildLine?
Interviewee: ChildLine is the UK’s free, confidential helpline dedicated to children and young people. It's open 24/7 and is accessible to every child in the UK for advice and help of abuse related issues.
Interviewer: In the last ten years, what have been your biggest achievements?
Interviewee: Since the creation of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) which the NSPCC campaigned for, more than 166 networks of sex offenders have been dismantled. More than 750,000 children, young people and families through our local services.
Interviewer: Is there anyway that the general public can get involved?
Interviewee: Yes, most definitely! Every year we rely on public donations for around 85 per cent of our funds. Your fundraising and campaigning are a huge part of the struggle to eliminate child abuse. Every penny counts.
Victim 1 - Physical
Interviewer: What age did you first experience abuse?
Interviewee: “It all started at the age of 7, when my mum left my dad for another man.”
Interviewer: What do you think prompted the abuse?
Interviewee: "It was a mixture of things really. Both the break up and the drink... was a downward spiral from there."
Interviewer: Where and how did he hurt you?
Interviewee: "Well it started off at home with just a few pushes and shoves... But he started to get more and more violent. It got to the stage, when he saw I couldn't defend myself, where he would hit me for no reason.
Interviewer: You kept the abuse secret for so long, how did you keep it from family and friends?
Interviewee: "However I could... lies... make-up
Interviewer: What is your most vivid memory?
Interviewee: "The rape... I was only 10. It's strange because the abuse had actually calmed down a bit, really thought he was on the road to recovery. He came home one night and was real angry, he threw me to the floor and hit me repeatedly! I tried to resist but I couldn't... he was too strong. He always said "your mum was always as weak as you, that's why I loved her".
Interviewer: How has it affected you as a person?
Interviewee: "I find it really hard to trust people... but I have some really good friends. Getting my life on track... Finally getting the life I could only dream of.
Interviewer: Can you remember the day that you told your grandparents about the abuse?
Interviewee: Yeah, was the hardest thing I've ever done. I physically couldn't take anymore pain... my body was screaming, I had to tell someone. Cried for hours.
Victim 2 - Emotional
Interviewer: What age did you first experience abuse?
Interviewee: “Ever since I can remember, she used to call me names whenever I did anything slightly wrong.”
Interviewer: How often were you abused?
Interviewee: “Almost all the time. She used to tell me I was good for nothing. I was wrong. I had no one, no friends. It was constant.”
Interviewer: Did you ever think about telling anyone?
Interviewee: “Yeah, lots of times. But no one would have believed me. She was so nice to everyone and well respected by colleagues and friends.”
Interviewer: Did the abuse take place outside of the family home?
Interviewee: “No, never. I think she knew she was a terrible parent and was embarrassed by me. Whenever she went out she used to leave me home alone. I was left home alone from the age of 7. In a way it was a good thing because I had time to myself where there was no abuse and I could do what I wanted. I learnt how to look after myself from a very young age.”
Interviewer: Do you blame yourself?
Interviewee: “I don’t know sometimes I think I could have done more but I don’t think it would have changed how she was with me.”
Expert - NSPCC
Interviewer: Tell us a bit about your organisation
Interviewee: We're inspired by a belief that we can make a difference for all children. That’s why we aim to end cruelty to children in the UK. The NSPCC will never be big enough to be able to help every child who needs us but we aim to reach out to public and demonstrate what our organisation is about to help put a stop to child abuse.
Interviewer: What is ChildLine?
Interviewee: ChildLine is the UK’s free, confidential helpline dedicated to children and young people. It's open 24/7 and is accessible to every child in the UK for advice and help of abuse related issues.
Interviewer: In the last ten years, what have been your biggest achievements?
Interviewee: Since the creation of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) which the NSPCC campaigned for, more than 166 networks of sex offenders have been dismantled. More than 750,000 children, young people and families through our local services.
Interviewer: Is there anyway that the general public can get involved?
Interviewee: Yes, most definitely! Every year we rely on public donations for around 85 per cent of our funds. Your fundraising and campaigning are a huge part of the struggle to eliminate child abuse. Every penny counts.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Child Abuse Research
The Stats...
Physical Abuse
• 25% of children experience one or more forms of physical violence during childhood.
• 21% suffer abuse at the hands of there parent or carer.
• The person responsible for violence during childhood was most often the mother (49%) or father (40%).
Neglect
• 6% of children experienced serious absence of care at home during childhood.
Sexual Abuse
• 1% of children under 16 experienced sexual abuse by a parent or carer. 3% by another relative. • 11% of children under 16 experienced sexual abuse by people known or not related.
• More than one third (36%) of rapes recorded by police are committed on children under 16.
Emotional Abuse
• 6% of children experienced frequent and severe emotional maltreatment during childhood.
• 3% of young adults say they were not well cared for during childhood and that their parents showed little affection.
1 Child a week dies from child abuse.
1 in 10 children are sexually abused during childhood.
1 in 1000 under 4’s suffer extreme physical abuse.
Indications of Child Abuse...
Physical Abuse
• 25% of children experience one or more forms of physical violence during childhood.
• 21% suffer abuse at the hands of there parent or carer.
• The person responsible for violence during childhood was most often the mother (49%) or father (40%).
Neglect
• 6% of children experienced serious absence of care at home during childhood.
Sexual Abuse
• 1% of children under 16 experienced sexual abuse by a parent or carer. 3% by another relative. • 11% of children under 16 experienced sexual abuse by people known or not related.
• More than one third (36%) of rapes recorded by police are committed on children under 16.
Emotional Abuse
• 6% of children experienced frequent and severe emotional maltreatment during childhood.
• 3% of young adults say they were not well cared for during childhood and that their parents showed little affection.
1 Child a week dies from child abuse.
1 in 10 children are sexually abused during childhood.
1 in 1000 under 4’s suffer extreme physical abuse.
Indications of Child Abuse...
Sexual Abuse
• Over average knowledge of sex for age.
• Venereal diseases.
• Extreme reactions – suicide attempts.
• Clingy or insecure.
• Regressing to younger behaviour.
• Lack of trust.
Physical Abuse
• Unexplained injuries (recurrent).
• Excuses or refusal to explain injuries.
• Refusal to undress.
• Fear of medical help.
• Fear of physical contact.
• Fear of suspected abuser being contacted.
Neglect
• Constant hunger.
• Poor personal hygiene.
• Constant tiredness.
• Poor state of clothing.
• Untreated medical problems.
• No social relationships.
• Compulsive scavenging.
Emotional Abuse
• Physical, mental and emotional development lags.
• Sudden speech disorders.
• Continual self-depreciation.
• Overreaction to mistakes.
• Fear of any new situations.
• Inappropriate response to pain.
• Extreme aggression.
Documentary Proposal (The Silent Kids)
For my main task I will produce a five minute long extract from a documentary exploring the major issue of child abuse. The reason why I have chosen child abuse is because I feel that it is an issue which is overlooked by many people who do not know enough information about the subject. My aim is to not only shock my audience into thinking about child abuse, but also provide them with the knowledge to start getting involved with the various charities and organisations whose aim it is to bring child abuse to an end. I am aiming my documentary at young adults (18-30 year olds), this is because this is the age range where you are most likely to have a child.
My documentary will be called ‘The Silent Kids’. I think this is effective because it is truthful in meaning. Most children who have been abused stay silent about their trauma and bottle it all up. The documentary will contain interviews, reconstructions and powerful cutaways. I hope to provoke a big reaction from my audience by using a combination of several techniques.
To start my documentary I want to include a mix of short quotes and messages relating to the issue of child abuse in a short 30 second long introduction. I will use quotes like “I told my mother at about the seventh year of therapy that I had been abused sexually by my father, she hung up the phone on me.” In between the quotes and messages I will show short clips of a child in distress. The introduction will end with a bold title appearing. Most of the clips will be shown using a black and white effect, this will give the impression that the clips are like a flashback or a memory. Hopefully this effect will create more authenticity.
I also want to include 3 interviews in my documentary. I will show two interviews with victims of child abuse, preferably one female and one male. The reason why I will use one person of each gender is to show that girls are not the only children at risk. I will also interview an expert on the issue. I would like to interview a representative of a large organisation. In this interview I will use a tilt shot to give a sense of authority and expertise to the interviewee. I will use 3 cameras so when it comes to editing I can show the emotion on the interviewee’s face whilst also showing the interview generally. Again, I will do this to provoke a sad/angry emotion.
As well as the interview itself I would like to recreate one of the interviewee’s stories by using a reconstruction. I aim to create a fictional story that will seem very real and believable. The reconstruction will feature a little girl who is defenceless against her father who beats her. The reconstruction will be very powerful and emotive. I will use sombre music to add to the overall effect. I will aim to make the reconstruction the highlight of my documentary. Here is a picture of the scene i would be looking to achiece in my reconstruction:
The documentary will also feature many cutaways in-between the interviews, reconstructions and other parts. I have devised a list of possible cutaways which I feel will add to the overall feel of the extract:
•Images of abuse
•Exterior shots of houses
•Crying girl
•A man walking up stairs
•A door being slammed
•Reflection in a mirror of bruised girl
•Girl running away
I think my documentary will be received in a positive way. Why would anyone be for child abuse? Hopefully, my documentary will raise awareness of the issue and help put an end to it.
My documentary will be called ‘The Silent Kids’. I think this is effective because it is truthful in meaning. Most children who have been abused stay silent about their trauma and bottle it all up. The documentary will contain interviews, reconstructions and powerful cutaways. I hope to provoke a big reaction from my audience by using a combination of several techniques.
To start my documentary I want to include a mix of short quotes and messages relating to the issue of child abuse in a short 30 second long introduction. I will use quotes like “I told my mother at about the seventh year of therapy that I had been abused sexually by my father, she hung up the phone on me.” In between the quotes and messages I will show short clips of a child in distress. The introduction will end with a bold title appearing. Most of the clips will be shown using a black and white effect, this will give the impression that the clips are like a flashback or a memory. Hopefully this effect will create more authenticity.
I also want to include 3 interviews in my documentary. I will show two interviews with victims of child abuse, preferably one female and one male. The reason why I will use one person of each gender is to show that girls are not the only children at risk. I will also interview an expert on the issue. I would like to interview a representative of a large organisation. In this interview I will use a tilt shot to give a sense of authority and expertise to the interviewee. I will use 3 cameras so when it comes to editing I can show the emotion on the interviewee’s face whilst also showing the interview generally. Again, I will do this to provoke a sad/angry emotion.
As well as the interview itself I would like to recreate one of the interviewee’s stories by using a reconstruction. I aim to create a fictional story that will seem very real and believable. The reconstruction will feature a little girl who is defenceless against her father who beats her. The reconstruction will be very powerful and emotive. I will use sombre music to add to the overall effect. I will aim to make the reconstruction the highlight of my documentary. Here is a picture of the scene i would be looking to achiece in my reconstruction:
The documentary will also feature many cutaways in-between the interviews, reconstructions and other parts. I have devised a list of possible cutaways which I feel will add to the overall feel of the extract:
•Images of abuse
•Exterior shots of houses
•Crying girl
•A man walking up stairs
•A door being slammed
•Reflection in a mirror of bruised girl
•Girl running away
I think my documentary will be received in a positive way. Why would anyone be for child abuse? Hopefully, my documentary will raise awareness of the issue and help put an end to it.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Codes & Conventions of a Documentary
Interviews:
• Victims
• Witnesses
• Professionals & experts
• Shows point of view
• Used to authenticate the views that are expressed.
• They sometimes disagree with the message although the film maker/narrator disproves them.
Voice over/narrator:
• Informative tone
• Male – crime, serious, facts & figures.
• Female – sensitive, emotional
• Powerful ‘voice of God’ – Believe they have specialist knowledge
• Well spoken, clear, slow.
Reconstructions:
• Different points of view – lots of different camera angles and shots.
• Typical scene – natural
• Sometimes debated as being altered or over-exaggerated.
Cutaways:
• Story telling:
• Image of signs, exterior shots of houses where interviews are taking place, images of characters entering and exiting, shots of cities – tells story without narrator.
• Emotional:
• Photo’s of deceased, hugging, candles – unique power to make you feel a certain way.
• General coverage:
• Watching, cheering, queuing, flags, cars, raceway etc – montage editing – set the scene.
Technicality of realism:
• Real footage – “chill footage”
• CCTV
• Natural lighting
• Diegetic sound
• Non-diegetic – narration, tension building music etc.
• Sounds create meaning
• Documentaries go to great lengths to convince the audience that the footage is real.
Archive footage:
• Historical archives – borrowed footage from the past
• Adds authenticity
• Adds further footage and information which film makers may be unable to obtain.
Titles/texts/captions:
• Usually bottom right hand side (captions)
• Quick and cheap way to give information
• Words on screen explain the narrative
• Audience often believe words without question (facts)
Process footage:
• Behind the scenes footage
• Adds authenticity and evidence.
• Victims
• Witnesses
• Professionals & experts
• Shows point of view
• Used to authenticate the views that are expressed.
• They sometimes disagree with the message although the film maker/narrator disproves them.
Voice over/narrator:
• Informative tone
• Male – crime, serious, facts & figures.
• Female – sensitive, emotional
• Powerful ‘voice of God’ – Believe they have specialist knowledge
• Well spoken, clear, slow.
Reconstructions:
• Different points of view – lots of different camera angles and shots.
• Typical scene – natural
• Sometimes debated as being altered or over-exaggerated.
Cutaways:
• Story telling:
• Image of signs, exterior shots of houses where interviews are taking place, images of characters entering and exiting, shots of cities – tells story without narrator.
• Emotional:
• Photo’s of deceased, hugging, candles – unique power to make you feel a certain way.
• General coverage:
• Watching, cheering, queuing, flags, cars, raceway etc – montage editing – set the scene.
Technicality of realism:
• Real footage – “chill footage”
• CCTV
• Natural lighting
• Diegetic sound
• Non-diegetic – narration, tension building music etc.
• Sounds create meaning
• Documentaries go to great lengths to convince the audience that the footage is real.
Archive footage:
• Historical archives – borrowed footage from the past
• Adds authenticity
• Adds further footage and information which film makers may be unable to obtain.
Titles/texts/captions:
• Usually bottom right hand side (captions)
• Quick and cheap way to give information
• Words on screen explain the narrative
• Audience often believe words without question (facts)
Process footage:
• Behind the scenes footage
• Adds authenticity and evidence.
Year 13
The brief for this year is as follows:
An extract from a new documentary TV programme, lasting approximately five minutes, together with the following:
An extract from a new documentary TV programme, lasting approximately five minutes, together with the following:
- A double page spread from a listings magazine focused on the documentary.
- A newspaper advertisement for the documentary.
Lets get going!
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Evaluation - Main Task
1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My media product both uses and challenges forms of real media products. I believe this because it uses simple horror movie traits such as the black and white effect and scary, tension building music. For example, the Blair Witch Project is almost entirely filmed in black and white. However, it challenges it because I feel that you really start to feel a connection for Tom in this case the lead role and you sympathise with him. I do not think that all horror movies build up this sense of relation to the characters.
2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
In my media product there are two characters, Jacksaw a demented lunatic and Tom an innocent teenager. I believe that my film represents the teenage social group because Tom is obviously seen to be alone and this suggests that he is a lonely teenager and is seen as an easy target by Jacksaw. Similarly to another blockbuster Sorority Row where the victims of a psycho-maniac are innocent teenage girls. I feel that this is an indication that the teenage culture is an insecure one and needs protection.
3) What kind of media institutions might distribute your media product and why?
Hammer Film Productions are a film production company based in the UK. The company are widely known for a series of gothic films made from the 1950’s through to the 1970’s. During its most successful years it dominated the horror movie market. Part of its success was due to its partnership with Warner Bros company based in America. During its heights it released films such as The Curse of Frankenstein, The Mummy and Dracula. I feel that my movie would be suitable for that type of company because it is a modern story edited in a way that gives off a very gothic and gruesome mood, similar to Dracula.
4) Who would be the audience for your media product?
After some research I have concluded that my film would be certified at 15. This means that only people aged 15 and over would be legally allowed to view the film. This is because the film features scenes of violence and some scenes that viewers may find disturbing or offensive. I am happy with the certification because this is the age group that my media product was intended to depict. I do not feel that the film would be suitable to anyone of a lower age because it is very disturbing.
5) How did you attract/address your audience?
Tension building non-diagetic music – My media product has non-diagetic music throughout. I have purposely done this to create a tension building atmosphere and emphasise the dramatic ending. I feel that this music will draw the audience in because it will encourage people to watch until the end to see what happens to poor Tom.
Use of props and mise-en-scene – In my film I have used props and costume very wisely to try and create the most chilling and gothic feel possible. I have on several occasions used an over shoulder shot to show Jacksaw’s weapon in focus. I have done this to give a sense of foreboding and to get the audience asking questions as to what’s going to happen next. Also, Tom’s costume was chosen carefully to depict a typical teenage boy. This is deliberate so that the audience can sympathise with Tom.
Character casting – The reason why I have cast the characters I have is because I feel that they stereotype their character perfectly. Tom is the typical teenage boy who is an easy target and Jacksaw is a demented lunatic whose mind is set on killing. I feel that this use of character is attractive to an audience because no one wants to see the innocent get hurt.
Location/Panning shot – The location of the film was debated laboriously. However, I feel that the eventual decision was a good one. I wanted to situate the film somewhere that gave a sense of remoteness and I feel that this is put across nicely. Especially when the panning shot is used to give a real sense of remoteness and suggest that no one is there to help Tom.
6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
During the making of my media product I have discovered a lot about media technologies. I have learnt that Apple Macs have become almost essential to the creation of a media product and that digital recording equipment is becoming hugely important to amateur recording. On the Apple Macs I used garage band to create a tension building soundtrack for the film. I also used the Macs to edit my film to the right length and to give it the correct finish. I believe that without these two important pieces of equipment none of the film making process would have been possible and I wouldn’t have a film to evaluate.
7) Looking back to your preliminary task, what do you feel that you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
My preliminary task was a success. However, I do feel that it was a bit of a rush. We had a small time period to film the preliminary task in because it was filmed in a public house. This made it difficult because although we had planned it all, we had no time to get as many shot as we needed. Therefore, when it came to shooting my main task, I used a location where I could take as much time as possible. I think this made the overall quality of my movie better. In retrospect, I do feel that the mistakes I made in the planning of my preliminary task helped me prepare better for the main task and it was good practice.
My media product both uses and challenges forms of real media products. I believe this because it uses simple horror movie traits such as the black and white effect and scary, tension building music. For example, the Blair Witch Project is almost entirely filmed in black and white. However, it challenges it because I feel that you really start to feel a connection for Tom in this case the lead role and you sympathise with him. I do not think that all horror movies build up this sense of relation to the characters.
2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
In my media product there are two characters, Jacksaw a demented lunatic and Tom an innocent teenager. I believe that my film represents the teenage social group because Tom is obviously seen to be alone and this suggests that he is a lonely teenager and is seen as an easy target by Jacksaw. Similarly to another blockbuster Sorority Row where the victims of a psycho-maniac are innocent teenage girls. I feel that this is an indication that the teenage culture is an insecure one and needs protection.
3) What kind of media institutions might distribute your media product and why?
Hammer Film Productions are a film production company based in the UK. The company are widely known for a series of gothic films made from the 1950’s through to the 1970’s. During its most successful years it dominated the horror movie market. Part of its success was due to its partnership with Warner Bros company based in America. During its heights it released films such as The Curse of Frankenstein, The Mummy and Dracula. I feel that my movie would be suitable for that type of company because it is a modern story edited in a way that gives off a very gothic and gruesome mood, similar to Dracula.4) Who would be the audience for your media product?
After some research I have concluded that my film would be certified at 15. This means that only people aged 15 and over would be legally allowed to view the film. This is because the film features scenes of violence and some scenes that viewers may find disturbing or offensive. I am happy with the certification because this is the age group that my media product was intended to depict. I do not feel that the film would be suitable to anyone of a lower age because it is very disturbing.
5) How did you attract/address your audience?
Tension building non-diagetic music – My media product has non-diagetic music throughout. I have purposely done this to create a tension building atmosphere and emphasise the dramatic ending. I feel that this music will draw the audience in because it will encourage people to watch until the end to see what happens to poor Tom.
Use of props and mise-en-scene – In my film I have used props and costume very wisely to try and create the most chilling and gothic feel possible. I have on several occasions used an over shoulder shot to show Jacksaw’s weapon in focus. I have done this to give a sense of foreboding and to get the audience asking questions as to what’s going to happen next. Also, Tom’s costume was chosen carefully to depict a typical teenage boy. This is deliberate so that the audience can sympathise with Tom.
Character casting – The reason why I have cast the characters I have is because I feel that they stereotype their character perfectly. Tom is the typical teenage boy who is an easy target and Jacksaw is a demented lunatic whose mind is set on killing. I feel that this use of character is attractive to an audience because no one wants to see the innocent get hurt.
Location/Panning shot – The location of the film was debated laboriously. However, I feel that the eventual decision was a good one. I wanted to situate the film somewhere that gave a sense of remoteness and I feel that this is put across nicely. Especially when the panning shot is used to give a real sense of remoteness and suggest that no one is there to help Tom.
6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
During the making of my media product I have discovered a lot about media technologies. I have learnt that Apple Macs have become almost essential to the creation of a media product and that digital recording equipment is becoming hugely important to amateur recording. On the Apple Macs I used garage band to create a tension building soundtrack for the film. I also used the Macs to edit my film to the right length and to give it the correct finish. I believe that without these two important pieces of equipment none of the film making process would have been possible and I wouldn’t have a film to evaluate.
7) Looking back to your preliminary task, what do you feel that you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
My preliminary task was a success. However, I do feel that it was a bit of a rush. We had a small time period to film the preliminary task in because it was filmed in a public house. This made it difficult because although we had planned it all, we had no time to get as many shot as we needed. Therefore, when it came to shooting my main task, I used a location where I could take as much time as possible. I think this made the overall quality of my movie better. In retrospect, I do feel that the mistakes I made in the planning of my preliminary task helped me prepare better for the main task and it was good practice.
Daily Production Report
Saturday 13th February
For my filming I needed little props. All I needed was tomato ketchup for the bloody face and a suitable murder weapon. Both of these items I was able to find around my house.
I waited for the arrival of my actors, once they had arrived at my house we set off for set location at about midday.
We arrived at location (Snettisham Mill) at about 12:15 and I then ordered my actors to change into costume. Again, the costumes that are seen in the movie are all costumes which I had around my house. We started filming at around 12:30. The shooting went very smoothly, the weather was kind to us and we managed to get a lot of the shots done. By around 14:00 we were ready to film the blood scenes. For this I smothered tomato ketchup on my actors face to give the impression that he had been beaten with no mercy. The final few shot proceeded and by 15:00 we had finished shooting. I had got all the shots I needed for the editing progress to be as easy as possible.
For my filming I needed little props. All I needed was tomato ketchup for the bloody face and a suitable murder weapon. Both of these items I was able to find around my house.
I waited for the arrival of my actors, once they had arrived at my house we set off for set location at about midday.
We arrived at location (Snettisham Mill) at about 12:15 and I then ordered my actors to change into costume. Again, the costumes that are seen in the movie are all costumes which I had around my house. We started filming at around 12:30. The shooting went very smoothly, the weather was kind to us and we managed to get a lot of the shots done. By around 14:00 we were ready to film the blood scenes. For this I smothered tomato ketchup on my actors face to give the impression that he had been beaten with no mercy. The final few shot proceeded and by 15:00 we had finished shooting. I had got all the shots I needed for the editing progress to be as easy as possible.
Here is a picture of Snettisham Water Mill, the location of filming:
Sound Timeline Main Task
0 – 5 seconds:
Dogma
5 – 10 seconds:
Dogma
10 – 15 seconds:
Dogma
15 – 20 seconds:
Dogma
20 – 25 seconds:
Dogma
25 – 30 seconds:
Dogma
30 – 35 seconds:
Dogma
35 – 40 seconds:
Dogma
40 – 45 seconds:
Alien Impact
45 – 50 seconds:
Space Log
50 – 55 seconds:
Space Log
55 – 60 seconds:
Space Log
60 – 65 seconds:
Space Log
65 – 70 seconds:
Space Log
70 – 75 seconds:
Space Log
75 – 80 seconds:
Space Log
80 – 85 seconds:
Space Log
85 – 90 seconds:
Space Log
90 – 95 seconds:
Shetland
95 – 100 seconds:
Shetland
100 – 105 seconds:
Mystery Accent
105 – 110 seconds:
Suspense Accent
110 – 115 seconds:
Farewell
115 – 120 seconds:
Farewell
120 – 125 seconds:
Farewell
125 – 130 seconds:
Farewell
130 – 135 seconds:
Farewell
135 – 140 seconds:
Farewell
140 – 145 seconds:
Farewell
145 – 150 seconds:
Farewell
Dogma
5 – 10 seconds:
Dogma
10 – 15 seconds:
Dogma
15 – 20 seconds:
Dogma
20 – 25 seconds:
Dogma
25 – 30 seconds:
Dogma
30 – 35 seconds:
Dogma
35 – 40 seconds:
Dogma
40 – 45 seconds:
Alien Impact
45 – 50 seconds:
Space Log
50 – 55 seconds:
Space Log
55 – 60 seconds:
Space Log
60 – 65 seconds:
Space Log
65 – 70 seconds:
Space Log
70 – 75 seconds:
Space Log
75 – 80 seconds:
Space Log
80 – 85 seconds:
Space Log
85 – 90 seconds:
Space Log
90 – 95 seconds:
Shetland
95 – 100 seconds:
Shetland
100 – 105 seconds:
Mystery Accent
105 – 110 seconds:
Suspense Accent
110 – 115 seconds:
Farewell
115 – 120 seconds:
Farewell
120 – 125 seconds:
Farewell
125 – 130 seconds:
Farewell
130 – 135 seconds:
Farewell
135 – 140 seconds:
Farewell
140 – 145 seconds:
Farewell
145 – 150 seconds:
Farewell
Main Task Vision Timeline
0 – 5 seconds:
You see Jacksaw walking towards the camera through the woodland – mid-long shot – Black and white tone.
5 – 10 seconds:
Camera follows Jacksaw keeping the focus below the waist for visual effect – Black and white tone.
10 – 15 seconds:
Mid-long shot of spooky bridge. You see Tom enter and start to cross the bridge. He looks frightened.
15 – 20 seconds:
Subtitles are seen “Tom! Tom! Tom! You can’t run forever!” You then see Jacksaw enter in slow motion onto the bridge – Black and white.
20 – 25 seconds:
Jacksaw is still running across the bridge in slow motion getting closer to the camera – Black and white.
25 – 30 seconds:
Jacksaw reaches the camera’s position between trees and goes past it as if it is not there – Black and white.
30 – 35 seconds:
Cut to seeing Jacksaw enter the shot coming round a bend in the pathway – Black and white.
35 – 40 seconds:
Again Jacksaw reaches the position of the camera and passes it as if it were not there. – Black and white.
40 – 45 seconds:
Cut to over shoulder shot of Tom standing alone in a clearing in the woods – Jacksaw’s weapon is in focus to give a foreboding feeling.
45 – 50 seconds:
Camera zooms in on Tom to show his body language, he is clearly agitated.
50 – 55 seconds:
Camera zooms out again Tom however, is still standing in the clearing.
55 – 60 seconds:
Panning shot of the clearing in the woods, could also be seen as an establishing shot, gives a sense of location. Also, a point of view shot from Tom’s perspective.
60 – 65 seconds:
Zoom in on window where Jacksaw was watching Tom from. He is no longer in shot.
65 – 70 seconds:
Zoom out to reveal clearing again.
70 – 75 seconds:
Another panning shot of the clearing.
75 – 80 seconds:
Subtitles “Please leave me alone” – Match on action of Tom running, gives a sense of speed. Over shoulder shot, you see Tom run past, then Jacksaw’s weapon in the foreground.
80 – 85 seconds:
Remains as an over shoulder shot – Jacksaw creeps forward. Cut to close-up of Tom sitting on the floor, he is very frightened.
85 – 90 seconds:
Zoom in on Toms face to reveal a worried look. In the background you see Jacksaw creeping unbeknown to Tom.
90 – 95 seconds:
You see Jacksaw creeping up on Tom. Focus on Tom’s anxiety.
95 – 100 seconds:
You see Jacksaw creeping up on Tom. Focus on Tom’s anxiety.
100 – 105 seconds:
Jacksaw attacks – Match on action – A wall hides Tom as he is being beaten savagely by Jacksaw – Black and white.
105 – 110 seconds:
Jacksaw continues to beat Tom – Black and white.
110 – 115 seconds:
Cut to extreme close-up of Tom bloody face – Black and white.
115 – 120 seconds:
You see Jacksaw walking away from the scene – Close-up of his face when he turns – Black and white.
120 – 125 seconds:
Zoom out reveals Tom on floor covered in blood and beaten. You see Jacksaw walking away – Black and white.
125 – 130 seconds:
Zoom out reveals Tom on floor covered in blood and beaten. You see Jacksaw walking away – Black and white.
130 – 135 seconds:
Credits
135 – 140 seconds:
Credits
140 – 145 seconds:
Credits
145 – 150 seconds:
Credits
You see Jacksaw walking towards the camera through the woodland – mid-long shot – Black and white tone.
5 – 10 seconds:
Camera follows Jacksaw keeping the focus below the waist for visual effect – Black and white tone.
10 – 15 seconds:
Mid-long shot of spooky bridge. You see Tom enter and start to cross the bridge. He looks frightened.
15 – 20 seconds:
Subtitles are seen “Tom! Tom! Tom! You can’t run forever!” You then see Jacksaw enter in slow motion onto the bridge – Black and white.
20 – 25 seconds:
Jacksaw is still running across the bridge in slow motion getting closer to the camera – Black and white.
25 – 30 seconds:
Jacksaw reaches the camera’s position between trees and goes past it as if it is not there – Black and white.
30 – 35 seconds:
Cut to seeing Jacksaw enter the shot coming round a bend in the pathway – Black and white.
35 – 40 seconds:
Again Jacksaw reaches the position of the camera and passes it as if it were not there. – Black and white.
40 – 45 seconds:
Cut to over shoulder shot of Tom standing alone in a clearing in the woods – Jacksaw’s weapon is in focus to give a foreboding feeling.
45 – 50 seconds:
Camera zooms in on Tom to show his body language, he is clearly agitated.
50 – 55 seconds:
Camera zooms out again Tom however, is still standing in the clearing.
55 – 60 seconds:
Panning shot of the clearing in the woods, could also be seen as an establishing shot, gives a sense of location. Also, a point of view shot from Tom’s perspective.
60 – 65 seconds:
Zoom in on window where Jacksaw was watching Tom from. He is no longer in shot.
65 – 70 seconds:
Zoom out to reveal clearing again.
70 – 75 seconds:
Another panning shot of the clearing.
75 – 80 seconds:
Subtitles “Please leave me alone” – Match on action of Tom running, gives a sense of speed. Over shoulder shot, you see Tom run past, then Jacksaw’s weapon in the foreground.
80 – 85 seconds:
Remains as an over shoulder shot – Jacksaw creeps forward. Cut to close-up of Tom sitting on the floor, he is very frightened.
85 – 90 seconds:
Zoom in on Toms face to reveal a worried look. In the background you see Jacksaw creeping unbeknown to Tom.
90 – 95 seconds:
You see Jacksaw creeping up on Tom. Focus on Tom’s anxiety.
95 – 100 seconds:
You see Jacksaw creeping up on Tom. Focus on Tom’s anxiety.
100 – 105 seconds:
Jacksaw attacks – Match on action – A wall hides Tom as he is being beaten savagely by Jacksaw – Black and white.
105 – 110 seconds:
Jacksaw continues to beat Tom – Black and white.
110 – 115 seconds:
Cut to extreme close-up of Tom bloody face – Black and white.
115 – 120 seconds:
You see Jacksaw walking away from the scene – Close-up of his face when he turns – Black and white.
120 – 125 seconds:
Zoom out reveals Tom on floor covered in blood and beaten. You see Jacksaw walking away – Black and white.
125 – 130 seconds:
Zoom out reveals Tom on floor covered in blood and beaten. You see Jacksaw walking away – Black and white.
130 – 135 seconds:
Credits
135 – 140 seconds:
Credits
140 – 145 seconds:
Credits
145 – 150 seconds:
Credits
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Audience Analysis
What age bracket do you fit into?
90% of the people I questioned were in the age bracket of 11 to 20. I did this intentionally because this age group is the target audience for my film. I surveyed the other 10% for a difference in opinion and results.
What gender are you?
The gender of the person may be slightly irrelevant to the overall decision making on my film. However, I tried to survey both males and females to compare whether gender affected the type of films they enjoyed best. 70% were female and 30% were male.
What genre of movie is your favourite?
30% of the people questioned liked Rom-Com’s best out of many different genres of movie. All the people who answered Rom-Com in the questionnaire were females, this is no surprise. Next in line were Fantasy and War with 20% each. However, Horror, the genre of my movie got only 5% of the total number. This is disappointing, but I will consider adding some traits of other genres to make it more appealing to the mass.
What elements do you think makes a good movie?
There were many answers to this question, some were interesting. However, the answers that kept popping up were an unpredictable plot, suspense and a good cast. In my movie I will build suspense with music. Also, I will provide the best cast I can because I will choose people who are as enthusiastic as I am. Hopefully, this will achieve the results required.
Where do you prefer to watch movies?
After conducting my survey, the answer that was most popular was the cinema, with a massive 55% of the overall answer tally. It is interesting because that people like to see movies as quickly as possible and enjoy it as a group. Hopefully my movie will be shown in a similar way to a group of people. Just not on a scale of the same size.
For a horror movie what would be your preferred setting?
Both a ‘hospital’ and ‘in the forest/woods’ are the highest preferred locations for a horror movie with 30% each. This is good for me because my movie will be set in a woodland area. Hopefully, along with the content, this will attract viewers.
Do you mind subtitles?
The reason I asked this question this was because I am hoping to use subtitles in my film. I was curious to see people’s reaction to subtitles. 80% of the people questioned answered that they didn’t mind subtitles. This has encouraged me to use subtitles in my film.
Do you think that a good cast makes a good film?
My results showed that every person questioned as part of my survey believed that a good cast makes a good film. I will go out of my way to try and cast people in my film who create the correct mood and are as enthusiastic as I am about making the film. Hopefully, this will come across on the screen.
What age bracket do you fit into?
90% of the people I questioned were in the age bracket of 11 to 20. I did this intentionally because this age group is the target audience for my film. I surveyed the other 10% for a difference in opinion and results.
What gender are you?
The gender of the person may be slightly irrelevant to the overall decision making on my film. However, I tried to survey both males and females to compare whether gender affected the type of films they enjoyed best. 70% were female and 30% were male.
What genre of movie is your favourite?
30% of the people questioned liked Rom-Com’s best out of many different genres of movie. All the people who answered Rom-Com in the questionnaire were females, this is no surprise. Next in line were Fantasy and War with 20% each. However, Horror, the genre of my movie got only 5% of the total number. This is disappointing, but I will consider adding some traits of other genres to make it more appealing to the mass.
What elements do you think makes a good movie?
There were many answers to this question, some were interesting. However, the answers that kept popping up were an unpredictable plot, suspense and a good cast. In my movie I will build suspense with music. Also, I will provide the best cast I can because I will choose people who are as enthusiastic as I am. Hopefully, this will achieve the results required.
Where do you prefer to watch movies?
After conducting my survey, the answer that was most popular was the cinema, with a massive 55% of the overall answer tally. It is interesting because that people like to see movies as quickly as possible and enjoy it as a group. Hopefully my movie will be shown in a similar way to a group of people. Just not on a scale of the same size.
For a horror movie what would be your preferred setting?
Both a ‘hospital’ and ‘in the forest/woods’ are the highest preferred locations for a horror movie with 30% each. This is good for me because my movie will be set in a woodland area. Hopefully, along with the content, this will attract viewers.
Do you mind subtitles?
The reason I asked this question this was because I am hoping to use subtitles in my film. I was curious to see people’s reaction to subtitles. 80% of the people questioned answered that they didn’t mind subtitles. This has encouraged me to use subtitles in my film.
Do you think that a good cast makes a good film?
My results showed that every person questioned as part of my survey believed that a good cast makes a good film. I will go out of my way to try and cast people in my film who create the correct mood and are as enthusiastic as I am about making the film. Hopefully, this will come across on the screen.
Music Research
Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
(Don’t Fear) the Reaper was written was released in 1979 by rock band Blue Oyster Cult as part of their 4th album, ‘Agents of Fortune’. The song was written and composed by, lead guitarist, Donald Roeser. The song is built up around a simple guitar riff that use minor chord shapes to build tension and create a spooky sound that is recognisable to this day.
Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
(Don’t Fear) the Reaper was written was released in 1979 by rock band Blue Oyster Cult as part of their 4th album, ‘Agents of Fortune’. The song was written and composed by, lead guitarist, Donald Roeser. The song is built up around a simple guitar riff that use minor chord shapes to build tension and create a spooky sound that is recognisable to this day.
The songs sound mirrors the lyrics. “The reaper” is a reference to the grim reaper, a traditional symbol to death in European folklore. Also, lyrics such as "Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity" have led many listeners to interpret the song to be about a murder-suicide pact. However, the composer denies these claims. This symbol of death mirrors one of the characters in my movie who is a similar character to the grim reaper.
Since the release in 1979, the song has been used in numerous horror movies, such as. Halloween, Halloween 2, Zombieland, Scream and The Stand. This has prompted me to believe that it is a suitable song to use in the opening of a horror movie. Also, the song actually is very catchy, gets the audience attention and makes them remember the picture.
Metallica – Enter Sandman
‘Enter Sandman’ featured as the opening track on Metallica’s famous album ‘The Black Album’. Metallica are known worldwide for their grunge sounding, heavy guitar licks and hard rock attitude and style. The song was produced by Bob Rock, and the music was written by Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, and James Hetfield. Vocalist and guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics, which deal with the simplest concept of a child's nightmares.
The song is supposed to tell a story of a child’s nightmare with the stereotypical Sandman. During the music video a child is seen reciting a prayer whilst being overlooked by ‘The Sandman’. The music video as a whole conjoins with the lyrics perfectly and really paints an image of the story.
The music itself also contribute to the feeling of suspense with a repeating riff throughout which gradually grows in texture up to the height of the song; the chorus. This is just the type of music that could be used in my film to create suspense and tension.
Movie Research
The Shining
The movie is about a novelist known as Jack Torrance. He applies for a job interview as a winter caretaker at an old but beautiful hotel called Overlook Hotel. During his interview Jack is told by the Manager that the previous caretaker was driven insane and killed all of his family. Despite this warning, Jack brings his wife (Wendy) and son (Danny) along to stay over winter. As the movie goes on, it becomes apparent that Danny has a mysterious power described as “the Shining”. The power gives him visions about the past and future. The hotel cook warns him about room 237 supposedly being extremely sinister and scary. The visions Danny gets gradually get more and more strange and eventually sinister. In his visions he views deaths of past employees of the hotel dying. Meanwhile, Jack is being driven to insanity just like the previous caretaker. Wendy realises that Jack might try and kill them, similarly to the story of the previous caretaker. The only thing that can save Danny and Wendy from their deranged sibling is “the Shining”.
Dawn of the Dead
The sequel to “Night of the Living Dead”, the film is set a few weeks after the prequel, it is a zombie epic. In the city of Philadelphia, USA, two TV station workers (Steven and Francine) make the decision to run because of the worsening situation with the zombie attacks. They meet with two policemen (Roger and Peter). Then the four steal the TV stations helicopter and fly west. After a while they decide to take vacancy in a mega-mall in Monroeville. On arrival they clear the undead and board up all the windows and doors. Soon afterward, they have even heavier problems to worry about, as a large gang of bikers discovers the mall and invades it, ruining the survivors' best-laid plans and forcing them to fight off both lethal bandits and flesh-eating zombies.
Joshua
In Manhattan, the successful stockbroker Brad Cairn and his beautiful wife Abby are celebrating their newborn daughter Lily in their new fancy apartment with Brad's mother Hazel and Abby's brother, the artist Ned Davidoff. Their extremely intelligent and talented nine year-old son Joshua is feeling neglected and jealous of Lily, trying to attract more attention from his parents and relatives. Joshua becomes gradual jealously, that his parents give the baby more attention than him. Therefore he begins to terrorize his family. In the end he drives his father insane and at the end of the movie Brad loses it and beats his child senseless in front of everyone at a local park.
The Shining
The movie is about a novelist known as Jack Torrance. He applies for a job interview as a winter caretaker at an old but beautiful hotel called Overlook Hotel. During his interview Jack is told by the Manager that the previous caretaker was driven insane and killed all of his family. Despite this warning, Jack brings his wife (Wendy) and son (Danny) along to stay over winter. As the movie goes on, it becomes apparent that Danny has a mysterious power described as “the Shining”. The power gives him visions about the past and future. The hotel cook warns him about room 237 supposedly being extremely sinister and scary. The visions Danny gets gradually get more and more strange and eventually sinister. In his visions he views deaths of past employees of the hotel dying. Meanwhile, Jack is being driven to insanity just like the previous caretaker. Wendy realises that Jack might try and kill them, similarly to the story of the previous caretaker. The only thing that can save Danny and Wendy from their deranged sibling is “the Shining”.
Dawn of the Dead
The sequel to “Night of the Living Dead”, the film is set a few weeks after the prequel, it is a zombie epic. In the city of Philadelphia, USA, two TV station workers (Steven and Francine) make the decision to run because of the worsening situation with the zombie attacks. They meet with two policemen (Roger and Peter). Then the four steal the TV stations helicopter and fly west. After a while they decide to take vacancy in a mega-mall in Monroeville. On arrival they clear the undead and board up all the windows and doors. Soon afterward, they have even heavier problems to worry about, as a large gang of bikers discovers the mall and invades it, ruining the survivors' best-laid plans and forcing them to fight off both lethal bandits and flesh-eating zombies.
Joshua
In Manhattan, the successful stockbroker Brad Cairn and his beautiful wife Abby are celebrating their newborn daughter Lily in their new fancy apartment with Brad's mother Hazel and Abby's brother, the artist Ned Davidoff. Their extremely intelligent and talented nine year-old son Joshua is feeling neglected and jealous of Lily, trying to attract more attention from his parents and relatives. Joshua becomes gradual jealously, that his parents give the baby more attention than him. Therefore he begins to terrorize his family. In the end he drives his father insane and at the end of the movie Brad loses it and beats his child senseless in front of everyone at a local park.
Monday, 8 February 2010
Skins Characterisation
Chris
In the first episode of skins, Chris is portrayed as a stereotypical teenager. The first you see of him in the episode is when Tony calls him up. He is lying in bed with a girl of similar age, it is obvious from the conversation he has with Tony that he has slept with her the night before. Throughout the whole episode he is seen to be a bit of a flirt and definitely sees himself as a bit of a player when it comes to the ladies.
The first thing you notice about him is the way he dresses. He wears bright colours, which signifies youth. However, he is a different person to what you would expect. He says that he doesn’t watch TV or play video games, but instead parties and takes pills. I feel that this is a clear condemnation of the youth culture. His attitude towards other characters is very laid back and he uses banter a lot. He also uses strong language which is associated with the youth culture, yet again.
Towards the end of the episode he is shown to be a bit of a ‘party animal’ as to speak and attends two parties in one night. During the party scene he is shown to be a vagabond with a very short temper. This is evident from the way he snaps at a boy who tries to kick him out. It is only then that Tony stands up for him.
Chris is a character which a lot of teenagers could relate to. However, I do feel that he is a bit of an unfair condemnation of the youth culture. This is partly the reason why ‘Skins’ received such uproar when it was first released.
Cassie
Cassie is similar to Chris in some aspects but also very different. She is portrayed as a very unstable girl who doesn’t really have a aim in life apart from to keep herself thin as a pencil.
From her appearance and conversations with Sid it becomes clear that she is Anorexic. She seems to be in and out of hospital because of this. She also comes across as being a bit of a schizophrenic. Despite this obvious dent in her health she doesn’t seem to be doing herself any favours with her drug taking and drinking.
She dresses very eccentrically, wearing bright and unique clothing. The way she speaks mirrors her health and she is full of love which gives the impression she is lonely. Most of the time she is talking about a load of nonsense, which has no relevance to the story at all.
Cassie is a very interesting and deep character. There is obviously a lot we don’t know about her at this stage. Again, Cassie is used to condemn the youth culture in an over the top way which I feel is unfair.
In the first episode of skins, Chris is portrayed as a stereotypical teenager. The first you see of him in the episode is when Tony calls him up. He is lying in bed with a girl of similar age, it is obvious from the conversation he has with Tony that he has slept with her the night before. Throughout the whole episode he is seen to be a bit of a flirt and definitely sees himself as a bit of a player when it comes to the ladies.
The first thing you notice about him is the way he dresses. He wears bright colours, which signifies youth. However, he is a different person to what you would expect. He says that he doesn’t watch TV or play video games, but instead parties and takes pills. I feel that this is a clear condemnation of the youth culture. His attitude towards other characters is very laid back and he uses banter a lot. He also uses strong language which is associated with the youth culture, yet again.
Towards the end of the episode he is shown to be a bit of a ‘party animal’ as to speak and attends two parties in one night. During the party scene he is shown to be a vagabond with a very short temper. This is evident from the way he snaps at a boy who tries to kick him out. It is only then that Tony stands up for him.
Chris is a character which a lot of teenagers could relate to. However, I do feel that he is a bit of an unfair condemnation of the youth culture. This is partly the reason why ‘Skins’ received such uproar when it was first released.
Cassie
Cassie is similar to Chris in some aspects but also very different. She is portrayed as a very unstable girl who doesn’t really have a aim in life apart from to keep herself thin as a pencil.
From her appearance and conversations with Sid it becomes clear that she is Anorexic. She seems to be in and out of hospital because of this. She also comes across as being a bit of a schizophrenic. Despite this obvious dent in her health she doesn’t seem to be doing herself any favours with her drug taking and drinking.
She dresses very eccentrically, wearing bright and unique clothing. The way she speaks mirrors her health and she is full of love which gives the impression she is lonely. Most of the time she is talking about a load of nonsense, which has no relevance to the story at all.
Cassie is a very interesting and deep character. There is obviously a lot we don’t know about her at this stage. Again, Cassie is used to condemn the youth culture in an over the top way which I feel is unfair.
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