About A Girl

About a girl is a nine minute short film, directed by Brian Percival in 2001. The short was written by Julie Rutterford who found her inspiration for the script from children and her experiences with children. It was produced by Janey De Nordwall and has won several awards including a Bafta for Best British Short at the Edinburgh international film festival. Since 2001 Pericval has gone on to direct Much A’do About Nothing, The Ruby In The Smoke and The Old Curiosity, his worked is now more focused in the television series industry. About a girl in known for its shocking twist of an ending which can lead to multi interpretations of the text. The main themes and issues raised in the short are teenage pregnancy, social deprivation, domestic violence, disenfranchised youth and ambition.
The film is shot in a documentary way with the main characters eye line at us the audience, which suggests the girl is quite confident in relation to her ego. However this technique can create different senses for example, the girl needs someone to talk like a stranger which we the audience are and this creates the idea of counselling. Its confessional yet we feel the need she needs someone to talk to through the use of close up shots that create a sense of intimacy.
The film starts in silence and the screen is black. The sound of mobile texting comes on as do the letters in a text and spells out the name of the film. The text technique has connotations of youth as in today’s society new technologies are associated with the younger generation. The first shot is wide, the lighting is dark with a low tone colour pallet which indicates to us the time of day; sunset. It only has the girl in the frame, which represents her as vulnerable. She is singing ‘Stronger’ by Britney Spears. The lyrics in the song are quite inspirational for the young girl in the film as well as being significant to the plot, for example ‘stronger than yesterday, now its nothing but my way’.
As the girl tells us her story through character codes; regional dialect we can tell that she is from Manchester, the northern part of England. The large city backgrounds suggest that the film is located in the greater pat of Manchester, where poverty and social deprivation are commonplace. The girl speaks rapidly throughout the film also which can lead to a number of emotions that she may be feeling, for example panic or excitement. In addition to this the use of jump cuts could be a representation of her thought process,
Through mise-en-scene, and in particular costume we can easily relate the girl to a lower class background as her clothes look grubby, to big for her and clashing in colour. Furthermore the dullness of the colours could a deeper representation on how she feels inside.
Another issue that is raised in this short is neglect, which has also appeared in many of the other short films that I have analysed. Specifically in this film it’s the conversation between the girl and her dad. She asks if she can live with him in which he replies “It’ll be too much of a hassle”. When then see her dad playing football with his mates and leaving his daughter outside the pub on her own whilst he has a good time inside, we can tell this through the diegetic sounds of cheers which connotate happiness.
The quick shots of the girls on the bus see the protagonist singing Opps I did it again. I feel that these lyrics lead to the shock that is upon us. However through lyrical psychology I think the director has let us specifically hear her sing these words which helps us work out what has been going on through out the film.
The tracking shot follows the girl walking down next to the canal. Her last line is “I’ve become dead good at hiding things from her since then” and we see her through a carrier bag into the water. We then question ourselves as to what is in the bag as through close up we see it begin to unravel and float away. Then through extreme close up it is revealed to be an unborn baby. I think that the director specifically chose to use the style of shot for this was to shock us. We see the girl walk away and the film ends. We are then left with the question as the audience, was the baby hers? And if it wasn’t then that would lead to a totally different interpretation altogether. I think the lyrics ‘Opps I did it again’ suggest that this hasn’t happened before and fits well with what she says about becoming good at hiding things from her mum. Also throughout the film she always wears an oversized coat, was she hiding her baby bump?
About a girl is my favourite short film, I love that no matter how many times I watch it always shocks me and how they have represented teenage pregnancy in a negative way as of recent it is becoming a major issue in society with figures rising, representing it negatively I feel is the way forward to create some form of prevention.
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Gasman

Gasman was filmed in 1997 and directed and written by Lynne Ramsay (a Scottish film director). It was produced by Gavin Emerson. It won a Cannes Grand Prix Du Jury award as well as a Scottish Bafta for best short. Since Gasman Ramsay has gone onto many feature films that have been just as successful for example Ratcatcher. A music video entitled Black and White Town. Ramsay also has another feature in the pipe line for 2011 called We Need To Talk About Kevin, which is currently in production. Gasman is a story of two children who react with native simple emotion to a situation imposed upon them by their father’s secret. The themes and issues raised in this film are adultery, favouritism, child rivalry, neglect, capacity in upbringing, responsibility and jealousy.

We can assume that the film is set around Christmas time as decorative mise-en-scene is used to convey this to us. We can also suggest that the time period that the short is set in is the late 70’s because of the music playing; the classic hit Christmas hit by Noddy Holder which was released around that time. Gasman is set in Glasgow, this is represented through character codes and their accents, through diegetic sounds and picture. At the start of the film the family do not talk unless they are arguing or shouting at one another. The mother being out of control with the children suggests a lower status, poverty and a lack of education. As today parenting is considered something that we learn and is educated to us. As they speak in an abrupt fashion it also suggests to us pressure, economic strife and social disenfranchisement.

The shots are the start of the film are only those of the human anatomy. This was strategic on the directors behalf because with any film at the start we expect to see the main character where as in this short we aren’t, therefore we are forced to continue watching. We see generic things like, a bored child, a man getting ready to go and a women helping. This is a typical gender representation of that time period where equality between men and women didn’t exist and it remained a patriarchal society. This relates to the attempted realism of the short and in this case we can say it is being correct compared the history and the facts.

There are a few shots of the father smoking and drinking from a cup. The character codes of the mans voice is droning with a deep pitch and slow pace which represents a low self esteem, depression, fear and vulnerability. The close up shot of film polishing his shoes have a cold blue temperature with high contrast which suggests various adjectives. His smoking addiction could be to mask his nerves as we know he is going out. This is a character code, Dutch courage a release of pressure for him. Although the shots aren’t revealing they are intimate. For example the skin on the mans back, it has a humanising element, his skin looks soft in contrast to the harsh shoe polishing before. This shows that the director has an infinity for her people. As a the man exhales, the deigetic sound of this communicates the dads turmoil.


As close up shots of limbs continue there is a sustained shot of one of the characters anatomy and we are lead to think that the revelation of the main character is upon us through the media language. As the girl stands, and we know it is a girl through the character code of her voice being high pitched like a young girls, she rein acts the classic Dorothy moment from the film Wizard of Oz. the use of intertextuality here represents the girls rights of passage and loss of innocence. In term of colour physiology Dorothy’s shoes are red compared to the girl in gasman who’s shoes are black which represents are lower class and status.

It is then we receive the first shot of a face, and it is of the main character, except the angle of the camera is down as well as the characters head. The facial expression is subdued and annoyed which suggests trouble ahead as she is getting ready to go out. When then see a suit hanging up on a hanger on a wardrobe. The high angle shot establishes a higher status. The soft plastic protection is almost a representation of the families protection when they are together inside the home, but as the plastic comes off is suggests that the families protection as one is being unleashed.

So far there has been no dialogue of the young boy. The sub text of this could be I know something is wrong here. This is an example of when children are seen and not heard which creates chaos. As the jolly music is playing, he pours out white salt onto the work surface, a representation of the white Christmas which he isn’t going to get, as salt connotates bitterness. The pouring drowns out the music, and the scrapping of the toy car communicates to the audience a sense of discomfort.

As they go to leave the home we see that the mother is staying at home. Leaving the hose looks like a dark tunnel or prison, like something negative is being bottled inside it. There is no sense of home is where the heart is. As the camera pans to the window we see the mum looking out as they leave. The expression of concern of her face is a referential moment as they children leave but we see a subdued way through the reflection in the glass which is used by the director and cinematographer to represent a mask of emotions and/or her persona.

As the family and there father walk we have established that they have no car which reinforces the economically challenged presumption made before. The wide shot of them walking off into the distance has a light background where the characters are being shown as silhouettes, this creates a sense of misplaced hope which relates the negative aspects of adventure unlike the way in which adventure is represented in The Most Beautiful Man In The World.

This then moves onto a slow tracking shot which is behind them and then moves in front, as they walk along disused railway lines. The way in which the shot is structured creates a sense of hopelessness of being on the tracks forever. The side of the frame has the pin hole effect, the sides are black just like in a silent movie. As the daughter is given a piggy back the sun represents a movement of optimism for them unlike the boy who is walking ahead doing his own thing. The dysfunctionality of the disused railway lines could represent the families genes and connection which creates a sense adultery which is later confirmed as they continue to walk and meet a women.

The dull clothes that they all seem to wear creates a juxtaposition within the time of year which is supposed to be a cheerful time for the family. The father and another women talk in the background whilst the children stare at each with caution. The boy says “She looks like you”, this is foreshadowing for the storyline and reinforces the suggestion that the man committed adultery. The two girls are in fact wearing the same style hair band, the teasing is just like sibling rivalry. Compared to the two children that arrived with their dad the two children with the female look dirty. The girl in particular who stands close to the other girl in yellow tights, her knees are very dirty. Also the females children look as if they are wearing school uniform. This could suggest that she cant afford other clothes for them, or that the two who arrived with their dad are uneducated and didn’t go to school.

This then moves on to a shot reverse shot of the father talking to this other female. Through dialogue our presumption that he is economically challenged is reinforced as he hasn’t got enough to give the woman. Furthermore this creates a sense of adultery as this could be the child allowance that he owes her. The close proximity represents the intimacy between the two, however when he goes to stroke her cheek, just like his wife she pills away. The aphetic communication between the two shows that there is an issue somewhere.

As they continue to walk the female leaves her children with the man and heads off. They all begin to walk. The boy however picks up a stone and aims it to hit his father. A stone connotates hardness which relates to the hatred that he his towards his father.

As they arrive at the Christmas party in the pub, we see the father hold the door open for the girls but lets it slam back into the boys face, this shows a lack of respect for him. The father didn’t have the curtsy to hold open the door for him. The reinforces the theme of resentment. The pub looks dilapidated which represents a low class. The dirty walls and messy floor creates a health and safety issue for the children, especially as they are also surrounded by a vast amount of alcohol.

The slow panning of the room represents the little girls boredom as they close of up on her face suggest so through her slouched and tired facial expression. The wide shot then shows her alienation from all the other children. Compared to the quick editing shown before and after which creates a sense of chaos in the room.

The camera style then changes to hand held which could represent some one being drunk and vulnerable, this could either be the girl or the Santa. The jump cuts also create a sense of a loss of consciousness. The slow editing on the men drinking and the brunette girl standing alone shows boredom and child neglect, which seems to a continuous theme and issue throughout this short.

We could say that the dad is being selfish as he has just left the kids to play. However some people may argue that fathers do need their individual ‘me’ time. The brunette girl then goes to sit on his knee, which is a typical convention of something and father and his young daughter do. It’s not to long though before the girl in the yellow dress sees what is happening. The close up on her face allows us to see the tightening of her eyes and lips, is suggests anger and jealousy. They both argue and the brunette girl says that it he is her daddy too!, which helps us reach further to the conclusion that the child is also his.

As they head home from the pub it is dark but the streetlights help create a silhouetted of a family portrait as they walk towards the train tracks to head home. The girls still begin to petty fight other who gets to hold his hands etc, but in the end her picks them both up and an attempt to comfort them. The two children going room back to there father, this time they don’t talk and she just leaves. As the girl in yellow dress looks back at them walking away the father and the boy have walked on further in the direction to their home. The low angle close up on the girl shows her to be quite subdued and confused. This time she picks up a stone, and again goes to through it at her dad. The stone is a symbol of hatred. She sighs and throws it back down with force, with a deep sigh and begins to walk home, ending on a fade out to black.

The Most Beautiful Man In The World

The Most Beautiful Man In The World was written and directed by Alicia Duffy originally commissioned as part of The Short Channel a project funded by the UK Film Council. The film is about an encounter between a young girl and a man, on a hot summers day as the girl searches for something to do. The films and issues raised in this short are; child neglect, nature vs. nurture, suffering in silence and single parents. From this there are a variety of ideologies that come into prospect for example the lack of stimulation for the child, parental guidance and lack of, and single parenting views. As textual readers we have many preconceived consumptions which we make before breaking it down.

Beginning with parental guidance and no stimulation, through the four technical areas of sound, camera, mise en scene, and editing we can come to conclusions of developed representations and the message the film is trying to send out. One of the most bias ideologies on parental guidance is that children should be without it this then leads to further thought onto no stimulation for the child. The ideologies from this are children should not watch TV and children spend to much time with the TV. Recent happenings such as the missing case of Madeleine McCann have had a certain amount of impact on us and our believes towards parenting as the topic has been global and covered widely by the media.

The film begins with the young girl laying on the floor which communicates boredom. When then see her leaning against a radiator yawning which is a developed representation of the coldness in emotion that she feels and symbolic of the maternal warmth she is deprived from. The fading technique through editing suggests that time passes slowly and the tiredness she feels. In the scenes that are evolved within the house have very dull lighting which makes the establishment seem dirty leading us to believe that they are of a low class. Furthermore as the clothes the girl is wearing look grubby and through the mise en scene, the strategic placing of items to make the place look a mess lead us to believe that perhaps they are also economically challenged. The lack of dialogue in the film suggest that the TV has confused the young girl and her imagination thought process. Also represents her social alienation and strange communication.




There is then a wide shot of the girl lifting the window curtain and looking outside, this foreshadows that she is going to go outside. The girl rides a bike in the road, through film language some may jump to the conclusion that she may be hit by a car. The circling shape she repeats as riding represents the life she has as quite repetitive.


The girl then looks up to a dual carriage way with a filed underneath. A wider media reference of this wide shot leads us to believe that perhaps she is going to play up there and get hit by a car. However she then suddenly looks back in a close up shot, through film language we can understand that she is looking back to see if her mother is watching. The wide shot of the field symbolizes freedom and boundaries.

The lack of parental supervision determines her decision to go into the wilderness, the diegetic sound of birds singing drawing her in. In contrast to her home outside the lighting is a lot more bright, blue skies connotating optimism. Her dog follows her and dogs are associated as a trustworthy animal. The dog is a symbol of the missing guardianship she lacks as the dog is always with her.

The girl enters the wilderness it is almost like a awakening or a re birth for her as she is surrounded by stimulation through all five senses that connoatate healthiness for her as a young girl. The diegetic sounds of birds and the wind, mixed with jump cuts are a reflection of the child’s excitement as she is being mentally and physically stimulated by her surroundings. This specific editing choice represents an awaken and alertness, a sensory expression, timelessness in contrast to the fading editing used in the home scenes to show how time was an enemy.

The girl then pokes a stick into water. The use of a worms eye view shot shows the water. Water connotating healing and cleansing. The low angle also suggest that she is an empowered adventurer. The fod then whimpers and this catches the girls attention as she wanders over to it. Unbeknownst to her there is a man with the dog stroking it. The fact that the dog is with the man and we have already identified the dog as being some sort of support for her suggests that perhaps this man is safe. Different cultural experiences lead to racially different interpretations of situations just like this and we also contradict ourselves. Saying the children should have parental supervision at all times is then questioned because when the male is present we jump to the conclusion that he is a paedophile.




There is then a close up of the man removing a bug from her shoulder which suggest that he means no harm. Furthermore when the begin to understand that perhaps this man is an estranged father figure.
Whether or not the male is the father, friend or foe I think that Duffy was trying to get us to question ourselves; does age make you any wise? Does your childhood have an affect on your future? However I believe that the directors main rationale was for too reprsent on how we all view things differently and that at times we can be wrong.


One of the main binary opposition of single parents is that they cant cope, they are immature, uneducated and irresponsible. Through character codes in this short we are able to relate her to some of these. The voice of the mother is weak and has young connotations. When she says “ ninety five pounds” with shock it is acceptable to say that she is economically challenged. The voice also as she is on the phone that she is depressed with a low self esteem. The low lit rooms show the parent as being poor, and that it is an unhealthy environment for the chid. This suggests that social services are absent.