Research Task 4-Amie Nelms

The Calling (Edwards), 2007

Genre-Social Realism

• Desaturated colour palette-grey and blue tones, primarily black and white at beginning, to show monotonous and repetitive routine in London


• Exterior shots (recognisable)-features London cityscape, iconography: black cabs, London Bridge, red buses


• Group shots-business men and women walking along the pavement


• Off centre framing-eg. extreme close up of homeless man's face


• Naturalistic lighting, low key in alley way-create dark places and shadows to intensify mood and atmosphere


• Tracking shot used (alleyway)-to create tension, as if someones watching


• POV shots-low angle shot as if from homeless man's point of view, looking up at business man; high angle shot as if business man looking down on homeless man


• Body language-homeless man sitting on floor, business man standing-height difference could represent status in society
• Costume- contrast-businessman-suit, well dressed; homeless man-dressed in black, inferior, fade into background

Narrative

• Equilibrium-London, establishing shot of city landscape, Disruption-man stopping to check on homeless man, to see that he's not dead, man might attack, Resolution-no real resolution, ending is left to the imagination of the viewer to interpret what happens next (after man gives homeless man his clothes and they exchange lifestyles)


• Short narrative simplifies film, keeps fast pace and tension/suspense until the end


• Twist at end, keeps audience entertained-cliff hanger ending
  

Sound

• Non diegetic soundtrack-wind-like, chilling, to create suspense


• Ambient diegetic sound eg. cars from road


• Lack of dialogue intensifies action, adds more tension


• Music picks up, crescendos when business man wakes up homeless man-build tension
  

Themes and Issues

• Questioning society-how people consider homeless people on the streets of London 'normal', almost unnoticeable-no one blinks an eyelid apart from the business man


• Challenges life security-anyone can go from successful to homeless
  
• Takes one person to make a change


• Contrast-between two peoples lifestyles, transition of the two men-to experience life from different point of views
  

Comments

• Interesting use of lighting-like the combination of naturalistic lighting and low key lighting to give different atmospheres-light to dark


• Inspired by lack of dialogue-might include minimal or no dialogue in own film, find it really effective, to create tension


• Bland/desaturated colour palette-appropriate for theme and story-depressing story/social realism, challenging society theme-interests me


• Twist at end, changing places in society-film has a message, acceptability and normality-people need to challenge what is normal

Amie Nelms