Jordan Ilan A-Level Film Studies

Fish Tank: Key Scenes Analysis Sex Scene -> 1:09:00 – 1:18:30 Scene Micro features Narrative features and ideological analysis 1:09:00 – 1:18:00 Connor has sex with Mia Lighting Golden low-key lighting – use of chiaroscuro Cinematography Close up of Mia when she drinks the vodka Extreme close up of Mia’s mouth, hands and feet during the sex scene Sound Lack of non-diegetic sound during the sex scene Mise-en-scene Connor’s body language – sprawled on the settee with his foot on the coffee table – relaxed, dominant Cinematography Shot sizes – Connor tends to be shown in medium to medium long shot with the camera at his eyeline – shallow depth of field is used so that Mia is unfocused and he is focused – so that the attention is on his gaze – also, when Mia dances, she is

Discuss how far your chosen film or films reflect aesthetic qualities associated with a particular film movement: Look at printed sheet in folder or in email with examples from class & teacher ^Summaries: Entertainment & Leisure section: - Vertov eschews classical forms of art -> conforms to constructivist & modernist forms of art & filmmaking - Fast motion shot for 'Proletarian Film Theatre' -> represents quickness of society changing due to industrialisation - Modernism = growth of film as 'contemporary' art form -> shot ends on film theatre - 'Proletarian Film Theatre' -> correlates with constructivist ideas -> emphasise importance of breaking from tradition -> broadens art forms + makes it more accessible to larger demographic - Double exposure technique used (long shot of man constructing movie cam on top of building over a city) -> art piece within art piece -> link to Soviet Montage constructivism -> cen

Study Areas for Every Question Component 1: Hollywood 1930-1990 (Vertigo & OFOTCN) - Film Form - Meaning & Response - Contexts - Auteur American Films since 2005 (NCFOM & CF) - Film Form - Meaning & Response - Contexts - Spectatorship - Ideology British Film since 1995 (WNTTAK & FT) - Film Form - Meaning & Response - Contexts - Narrative - Ideology Component 2: Global Film (COG & PL) - Film Form - Meaning & Response - Contexts Documentary (Amy) - Film Form - Meaning & Response - Contexts - Critical debates - Filmmakers' theories Film Movements: Silent Cinema (MWAMC & APDN) - Film Form - Meaning & Response - Contexts - Critical debates Experimental film (Pulp Fiction) - Film Form - Meaning & Response - Contexts - Narrative - Auteur

red for point, green for specialist terminology, blue for meaning, orange for link to narrative theory) An Exploration of the Oedipal Trajectory in Fish Tank Colour Code: Point Specialist Terminology Meaning Link to Narrative Theory An initial viewing of Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold, 2009) presents the spectator with a raw, uncompromisingly bleak vision of life on an Essex council estate. The narrative feels somewhat dislocated and episodic, with Mia, the film’s protagonist, having no clearly defined goal; rather, she seems – at least at first – to ‘drift’ from one scene to the next. This feeling of narrative rawness is complemented by the style in which the film is shot: Arnold, showing influences of Italian neo-realism and French new wave, eschews cinematographic ‘artifice’ in favour of handheld camerawork, natural lighting, semi-improvised performances and an entirely diegetic soundscape . Indeed, the film shares much in common with social realism, a genre popular

Explore how the narratives of the films you have studied influence your response to key characters The ending scene of Kevin: The reconciliation scene in 'We Need To Talk About Kevin' by Lynne Ramsay is an important scene when exploring how the narrative of the film influences the response to key characters. In terms of Eva's character arc, the closing reconciliation scene could be considered as the resolution stage of the narrative. In this scene, the spectator is encouraged to emphasise with Eva as the combination of close-ups of Eva and Kevin, long cuts and desaturated colour, as well as the use of a static camera, encourages alignment with Eva; this is emphasised by the silence which allows for a greater sense of emotion to prevail. This represents the point in the film where we get a new sense of equilibrium as a balance is being struck between Eva and Kevin as the situation has temporarily resolved itself; this differs from the binary opposition that has been con

Kevin's conception to birth: (13:36-19:57) - Dark lighting during sex scene. Also red lighting, foreshadows the danger and consequences of this scene and Kevin's birth. The alarm clock writing (12am) is also in red writing which gives further connotations of the danger that Kevin will bring. The flashing of the alarm once again represents the danger of Kevin -> used throughout film - The cells -> relevancy? -> division, replicating, intercut with a photocopier, Eva sees it as no miracle, mytosis - Visual signs of Eva struggling with motherhood before Kevin was born: looks at her body and presents she feels uncomfortable with it, it's Franklin that puts up the baby's chair and is excited whilst Eva has a nondescript reaction to it (non diegetic not diegetic) -> dreaminess - The song (Ham & Eggs?) -> use of eggs foreshadows later events in the film, how her 'egg' (Kevin) turned out bad and her state of routine & nothingness after the sc

identify and annotate three key scenes, focusing on narrative theory and ideology. The climax The tomato scene Scene where Eva broke Kevin's arm Martyrdom -> crucifixion imagery throughout the film Washing the hands constantly -> relates to Lady Macbeth, trying to wash away the guilt, literally having blood on her hands The Supermarket Scene: (23:00) Notes: Sound: - Muzak -> flow of diegetic muzak (piped music) is synchronised to speed of Eva's walk -> Greensleeves (lullaby-esque, assoc. w/childhood) -> ironic, isolates Eva from society, contrapuntal to the scene - Diegetic sound of trolly wheels over music -> about consumerism, buying - Crunching of egg shells -> hyperrealistic -> white noise in background has hallucinogenic quality; Eva reminiscing - Non-diegetic dialogue - mirrors Eva's internal thoughts & Franklin's echo-ic voice, talking to Kevin, sinister & soothing at the same time, phantasmagorical (dreamlike), lull

Write two paragraphs in answer to the following: How useful has an ideological critical approach been in understanding binary oppositions in the narratives of your chosen films? One way  'Fish Tank' by Andrea Arnold is useful in depicting an ideological critical approach in order to understand binary oppositions in the narrative is through Arnold's examination of gender in this film. Arnold uses an ideological critical approach to explore the gender binary opposition between Mia and Connor as binary oppositions emerged through Connor's presence and the absence of Mia's real dad. The lack of a father figure in life makes Mia want to seek comfort from her first opportunity of a father-like figure in her life so this concept allows Arnold to present binary oppositions between the pair as Connor's own circumstances and secrets leads to the ambivalent role he plays in Mia's life and allows Arnold to convey a psychological intensity and insight into their rel