Research Task 7- Jo White

Wasp (Andrea Arnold) 2003

Genre: Social Realism/Drama

• The scene opens with the sound of footsteps on the ground, and the audience can see bare feet walking down some indoor steps
• The next shot Pan's upwards and the viewer can see a women holding a baby, with three other small girls
• Hand held camera is used
• Real locations are used, and from the first scene its obvious to see this is a low budget film.
• Mise en scene is used to show that the mother and her children are from an unprivileged background, because the mother isn't wearing any shoes, her baby doesn't have a nappy on, and her little girls have dirty faces.
• A tracking shot of the car is used, and this allows the viewer to notice the importance of the man 'Dave' as an important character for 'Zoe' and her children.
• Another key scene from the short film is when the baby is watching a wasp on the window, the shot is a mid shot, with the baby in the corner of the frame.
• This shot is important to the narrative, for later on in the plot.
• Aspects of unique style conventions used seem to be that it relies heavily on the narrative, and the characters, as both of these are the most important to the film.
• The characters used make up the main narrative, and the audience gets to feel as if they know the characters, and care what happens to them.
• The style seems to be as if we are following them on their journey through life, and the issues that they come across just as, not having enough food, or money. Throughout the mother character 'Zoe' does seem to truly care for her children, she just gets a bit distracted along the way.
• I think the audience are positioned for feel sorry for both Zoe and her children, because she does try to look after them, and its clear to see that she wants to provide for them,
• this is represented in the scene when Zoe drips the baby's dummy in sugar to try and stop him from crying. And also when she try's to find someone who will look after her children when she goes out.
• I think this film represents a lot of family's in Britain and also takes on the role of a lot of stereotypes within the film. Audience's will be able to relate to the film easily.

Posted By Jo White

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