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If There’s Only One Film You Use, Make it...

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by Guy Stanley

Bullet Boy

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BulletBoy(SaulDibb,2005)tellsthestoryofRicky,ayoungblackmalereturningtohislifeinHackney,EastLondonandstrugglingtoescapehiscriminalpast,peer group, and most importantly his sense of absolute loyalty. This loyaltyleadshimtopaybackadebtowedtoaclosefriend,despitewarningsfromhisgirlfriend,mother,andaleaderofthelocalchurch,himselfamanwithapast.The result is an escalatingpatternof violencebetween twogangs,with theeventuallossofthreeyounglives.

Thefilmservesmanyfunctionsasateachingaid.IthasaplaceineitheraMediaorFilmStudiessyllabusandcanbeusedeffectivelyineither.Butinordertoqualifythisitisnecessarytoexaminesomeofthewaysinwhichthetextcanbeemployedacrossarangeofmoduleswithinthesubjects.

PrimarilythetwokeyASFilmStudiesareaswouldbeFM2UnitsBritishCinemaLivingwithCrime–focussingontheCrimeandpunishmentangleofthetextorBorders&Belongingusingtheissuesanddebatesdevelopedregardingthecyclicalprocessofgangmembershipandenforced ‘belonging’. Itwouldalsobe a useful comparative text to the FM4 World Cinema section if one wereteachingUrbanStories.Thethemesapproachedinthissection(power,povertyandconflict)areapplicableasmuchtoBulletBoyastotheprincipaltextssuchasLaHaine(Kassovitz,1995)orCityofGod(Mereilles,2002)

On a Media Studies syllabus, Bullet Boy is a useful text to consider whenteachingtheContemporaryBritishCinemaunitinthecurrentOCRA2syllabusoraspartoftheInstitutionsunitofnewspecificationMediaStudieswithKeyMediaConcepts(OCRG322).

It can be utilised in terms of its production make-up or its style, form andnarrative.Itcouldalsobeincorporated,aspartofamoreconceptualapproachto theMediaandCollective Identity unit of new specOCRA2MediaStudiessinceoneofthemajorthemeswithinthetextisthenotionofidentitywithingangcultureandthesubsequentidentificationofyoungblackmaleswiththoserolesinsociety.

Background information

BulletBoy’stwocreators,SaulDibbandCatherineJohnsonhavebothspenttimeinHackney’s‘murdermile’theneighbourhoodinwhichthetextisset.Thisgivestheprojectamorelivelyandrealisticfeelbecauseofthis‘insideknowledge’.

Director/WriterSaulDibb:Dibb,havingbeenadocumentary-maker, isabletobring to BulletBoy a realistic vision that lends some of the weight to thesocialcontextofthefilm.Dibbwasconsciousofusingnaturallightandfilmingon location to ensure that the film projected authenticity. His documentarybackgroundencouragedhimtotakeresearchtripstothearea–placessuchasDalstonYouthProjectontheLowerClaptonroad.ItwasDibbwhoengineeredtheprojecttoreflectnotonlythelifeRickychosebuttodemonstratetheimpactthislifewouldhaveonhislittlebrother,Curtis.

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ItwasimportantforDibbtotellthestoryfromthepointofviewofthechildren.DescribingtherapidcomingofagethatCurtisundertakesas‘thepulseofthemovie’.Dibbargues

‘WhatIwantedwasaninnocent’spointofviewonanadultworld…soyou’vegota12yearoldboywho’snotevenateenageryethe’sstillgoingtohavetoactlikeaman,orhe’sgonnagetpickedon,he’sgonnagetpushedaround.Thenyou’vegota19yearoldwholookslikeamanbutatthesametimehe’sstillstrugglingwiththesameissuesinternally.’ (VervePicturesProd.Notes2004)

Co-writerCatherineJohnson:JohnsonalsobroughtanimportantingredienttoBulletBoy.ShehadalsolivedforsomewhileinthespecificareaofHackneythatthisfilmisattemptingtospotlightsohadalevelofcreativeinsightwhichlenttheprojectfurtherrealismanddepth.Additionally,Johnson(atthetimetheWriter-in-residenceatHollowayWomen’sprisonandawriterofteenfiction)wasamotheroftwo,enablinghertowritebelievablyaboutfamilylife.JohnsonputtheemphasisontherelationshipbetweenRicky,CurtisandBev(theirmum).Herinfluenceontherealityoffamilylifehelpedtoroundoutthecharacterisationsinmoredetail.Thescriptbecamemoreambiguousandcomplexasaresultofthesemorethreedimensionalcharacters.

CastingalsohadadirectimpactontherealismanddramaofBulletBoy.ThespecificcastingofAshleyWaltersasRickydrewcomparisonsofrealitytothetext.Walters–betterknowntosomeasAsherDfromtheSoSolidCrew–hadalreadyservedaterminprisonforgunpossession.Thiscombinationoffactorsensuredthefilmwasmadeaccessibletoitstargetaudience.

Othercastchoiceswerealsosignificant.Aspreviouslystated,DibbwantedthecharacterofCurtishadtobeaninnocenttoconveythatparticularviewoftheworld,andanexhaustivesearcheventuallyfoundLukeFraser,whodeliveredjustthat.Fraserhadneveractedbefore,whichenabledhimtobemorebelievableastheimpressionableyoungster.

ThisisalsothecaseforShareaMouniraSamuelsandRioTison(SheaandRio).Thewidercastwasamixtureoftheseunknownsandestablishedtalentsuchasstand-upcomedianCurtisWalker,whoplaysPastorLeonandstageactressClarePerkinswhoplaysBev.Mostoftheyoungroles(Wisdom,Godfrey,etc.)werealsofilledbyLondonactorswhohadexperienceofBulletBoy’sthemes:

‘OneofthedaysIwastryingtogetClark{Godfrey}tocomebackforanaudition,hewasatafuneralforan18yearoldkidwhohadbeenshot.’(DesHamilton,CastingDirectorVervePicturesProd.Notes2004)

Onecouldargue that thisbackgroundknowledgehelpsus (theaudience) tobelievethemessageputacrosswithinthetext.Itsuggeststhatthefilm-makersareinapositionofauthoritythatwecannotignore–they‘knowwhattheyaretalkingabout’.However,theaudience’sreadingofthistextwillbesomewhatdifferentfromthatwhichtheauthorsmayintend.Theirbackgroundsarelikelytobequitedifferentfromthoseofthecharactersfeaturedwithinandthistoo

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willhavesomeimpactontheunderstandingofthemessage.

Concepts of Belonging in Bullet Boy

Ricky’s12-year-oldbrother,Curtis,isbothfascinatedandrevoltedbytherevolverthatRickybringshome,andheshows it tohis friend,Rio,also12.Thetwoof them treat it as merely an extension of a violent PlayStation game – athemethat is reinforced frequentlywithCurtis throughthetext–untilCurtisinadvertentlyshootshisfriend,woundinghiminthechest.ThefilmendswithahopefulmessagewhenCurtisdiscardsRicky’srevolverintheriver.

The central theme of the text – and its title – stem from an article in theHackneyGazzetteentitled ‘BulletBoys’,which implies realismwithin the textandreferencestheverycurrentissueofguncrimeinyouthculture–somethingwhichisadailyprobleminsomeareasofLondon.Newsbroadcastsregardingteenagersinvolvedinshoot-outsaresadlyarecurrentfeature.

Crimestatisticsdemonstratethatinnercityblackmenbetween15and29areatgreatestriskofinvolvementinviolentcrime,eitherasperpetratororvictim.Theviolencecommonlyoccurswithinknowncirclesandnearvictims’homes.Thisalsoleadstothestatisticalover-representationofblackmalesinthecriminaljusticesystemandtheprisonpopulation.

Poor economic conditions often force aggressor and victim to live in closeproximity, a phenomenon termed ‘tinder box criminal aggression’. The filmillustratesthispointwell,focusingonsomeofthereasonsforthedevelopmentof the criminal subculture, such as easy availability of firearms, violent rolemodels,andearlyexposuretoviolence inchildren’sgames.But italsohintsat potential protective factors, such as the strength of the mother and theinfluenceofthechurch.

It couldbeargued that thefilm-makerswereattempting to tell a storywitha preventative message from an insider’s point-of-view to draw attention totheplightofyoungpeopleininner-cityareas.Itdrawsonrealeventsandreallocationstofirmlyplacetheeventsofthefictionalstoryinasrealisticacontextaspossible.

BulletBoy was the first British film released in cinemas to tackle this issueandputaspotlighton(primarily)black-on-blackgunviolenceintheinnercity.Thereareobviousparallels tobedrawnwithtexts fromtheUS(Boys‘NTheHood, Singleton 1991 / Juice, Ernest Dickerson 1992) that drew attention toyouthguncrimeintheStates.ButBulletBoydoesthisfromauniquelyBritishperspective.

DirectorDibbargued:‘I thinkwhatBritishfilmsare reallygoodat is takingapart something in averypersonalway,soitfeelsverybelievableandpowerful.’(VerveProductionNotes,2004)

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ScriptEditorandCo-producerMikeTaitagreed:‘We felt there had been awhole string of headlines over a period of yearsaboutblack-on-blackguncrimewithoutevergoingbeyondtheheadlines…sotherewasalackofunderstandingoftheverycomplexissuesthatledtotheseevents.’(VerveProductionNotes,2004)

Whatthisstartingpointledtowasaveryemotionalstoryaboutfamiliesandthesituations thatoccurwhich leadtoyoungboyscarryingguns.BulletBoyapproachesthisissuewithareasonablybalancedapproach–tryingtoexplainhoworwhyRickymightdowhathedoeswithoutnecessarilyeverplanningtointentionallyharmanother.BulletBoyalsoavoidssimplifyingtheissueandmakingRickyblameless inhisplight.Thetext leadsaveryambiguousroutethroughthosecomplexissuesraisedbyTaitandDibb.

BulletBoydoessuccessfullydrawattention(alaHoodandJuice)totheveryrealproblemsin‘forgotten’communitieswheremanyoftheresidentsfinditdifficult(if not impossible) to express themselves through words. Thus argumentsor matters of importance are settled with violence or weapons. Lead actorAshleyWaltersdescribesBulletBoyas‘afewdaysinthelifeoftheaverageblackyouth’.

Admittedly,thecounter-pointtothisistheneatwayinwhichitclearlypublicisesafictionalworkbymakingitmore‘real’butthesheervolumeofguncrimethatdoesmakethenewssuggeststhatWalters’claimisnotwithoutsomemeritortruth,arguablyunlikecomparativetextsKidulthood(Huda,2006)andItwasanAccident(Huseyin,2000)which,althoughbothBritish-madeandtacklingsimilarissues,arenotquitesogroundedinauthenticity.

Aninterestingperspective,fromtheBritishMedicalJournal(BMJ),arguedthatfordoctors,thefilmraisessomeuncomfortablequestions.Doestheirresponsibilityendonlywiththetreatmentofthevictim?Thecostoftreatmentisbornebythetaxpayer,butthatinitselfshouldimposemoreresponsibilityondoctorstofocusonprevention:

‘Werethefilmreality,agoodstartwouldhavebeenasocialservicesreferralregardingtheinjurysufferedbythe12yearold.Attheleast,thiswouldoffersupport for families of both children, and, at themost, trigger a referral tothe local Multi-Agency Public Protection Panel (MAPPP), consisting ofrepresentatives from both health and criminal justice services.’ (StudentBritishMedicalJournalBMJ)

Thispoint-of-viewservestoremindus(theaudience)thatBulletBoyisatext,withitsownagendaandideologicalperspectivewhichclearlyoverlookssomeareasofrealismtoenablethenarrativetoflowmoredramatically,aconventionperhapsmaskedbyitsdocumentary-stylemise-en-scéne.

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Teaching Bullet Boy as the product of British cinema

BulletBoyistheproductoftwomainfinancialsources–theBBCandtheUKFilmCouncil.TeachingBritishcinemaasaunitinvolveslookingatthefundinginstitutionsinsomedetail.Inordertodothis,onemustexaminetheproductioncompaniestoapoint.Althoughthechampionofpost-EadyLevyBritishcinemawasChannelFour,theBBCwasalsoamajorcontributortotelevisionexhibition;butBBCFilmswereneverascommerciallymarketedincomparison–thebulkofitsworkwasdesignedtobeexhibitedonTVsoitrarelycompetedonthesamelevelasFilmFour.

HoweverBBCproductions continued towork steadily throughout thisperiodwith lowlevelhits for theBritishmarketthatcapitalisedonthe involvementof internationallyrecognisedBritishactors.ExamplesofthesewouldbeFace(AntoniaBird, 1997),which starredRayWinstone andRobert Carlyle (of FullMonty [Cattaneo, 1997] fame) or Robert Bierman’s Keep theAspidistraFlying(1997),whichmadegreatuseoftheprincipalstars,RichardE.GrantandHelenaBonhamCarter.

However,thisdoesmeanthatmaterialwhichisevenpart-fundedbytheBBC,withitsPublicServiceBroadcasting(PSB)obligations,mayexploreorcommentuponsocialissuesthatapurelycommercialventuremayshyawayfrom.Asanorganisationsecure in its fundingfromthetaxpayerandoneofthebiggestbroadcastersintheworld,theBBCisinapositiontosupporttheindigenousBritishcinemaindustry.

Otherprojects ithasbeen involved inalsocontainoftenharsh looksat theEstablishment and social problems of the day. Love+Hate (Dominic Savage,2005)whichdealsprimarilywithracism,orTheFirstGrader(JustinChadwick,expected2010)whichwill lookat theschoolssysteminpostcolonialKenyathroughtheeyesofanoldmandeniedthechancetogoschool.

The limited nature of support from the broadcasters, alongside the massivesuccessofTheFullMonty(curiouslyfundedbynewlyformedUSsubsidiaryFoxSearchlightafterFilmFourpassedonit), ledtoaGovernmentcommissionedreportentitledTheBiggerPicturewhichinvestigatedwhatcouldbedonetohelpandassistBritishtalentandfilmproductionintheUK.TheoutcomeofthesefindingswasthefoundingoftheUKFilmCouncil–acentralfundingbodywhichprovidedfinanceandinvestmentforBritishfilm.TheUKFilmcouncilwasoneofthefinanciersbehindBulletBoyalongsidetheBBC.

PaulTrijbits,HeadofUKFilmCouncil’sNewCinemaFundwasbroughtonasexecutiveproducerofBulletBoy.Hewaskeentoproduceafilmwhichhadadocumentaryaesthetic,as,heargued,

‘You have to allow space for a documentary film-maker so there’s a lot ofworkshoppinginvolved.Fromthefundingside,it’smoreofaleapoffaiththatyoumakeandIthinkBulletBoy’steamhasrespondedextremelywelltothechallenge.’(VerveProductionNotes,2004)

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The British cinema of the mid-1990s was especially turbulent – a period ofmassive international success for a few (e.g. FourWeddings and a Funeral[Newell,1994],TheFullMonty),butconsiderablecriticalandcommercialfailureformanyprojects,aconsiderablenumberofwhichhadbeenthebeneficiaryofNationalLottery(i.e.public)funding.

ThustheBBC,withitsPSBremitensuringthatthetexthadaneducationalandinformativeelementaswellasbeingentertaining,combinedwiththeLotteryfundedUKFilmCouncilalso focussedon funding featurefilmswhichdeliverapowerfulmessage to the target audience.These twoorganisationshaveaspecificdirectionfortheideologicalstandpointofthetextwhichwouldhavea great impact on how the story is told.The addition of Mark Boothe as aproduceraddedanadditionalcomponent–hewasconsideredaleadingexpertinthemarketingofurbanarts(music/film/visualarts)andhelpedtopromotethefilmtotherightmarket.

‘…throughmyexperienceworkinginbothblackandmainstreamarenas,I’mawareofhowtheissuescanbebestcommunicatedtonotjustablackaudiencebutamulti-culturalaudience.’(VerveProductionNotes,2004)

Theintentionofalloftheseindustrialfactorswastofundandcreateabalancedproductwhichneithersanitisednorglamourisedthetopicswithwhichitdealt.Tosensationalisewouldcertainlymakethefilmmoreappealingtomainstreamaudiencesbutthemessageinherentinthetextwouldbelostamongstthesexandultra-violence.Kidulthoodcertainlybenefitedfromthisapproach(andwasindeedthemorefinanciallysuccessfulfilm)buttheinclusionofBootheaspartoftheproductionteamenabledBulletBoytobecommerciallyviablewithoutcompromisingitsintegrity.

Genre Busting and Audience expectations – Bullet Boy as a

‘Gangsta’ Film

GenrefilmsareaHollywoodinvention.Theyworkonabasicframeworkandaredesignedtoappealtothewidestpossibleaudience.Thusaudienceexpectationsmustbemetandappealedtoinordertomaximiseonesprofitsandensureasuccess.Tothatendtheyaremorallysimplistic–theheroisrarelyvillainousandthevillainneverheroic.Time,familiarityandaneedtorefreshtiredformulaehasblurredthelinesbetweengenresconsiderablybuttheframeworksstayfairlyconstant.ThusBulletBoyisaproblemwhenassigningagenreclassification.

Gangsterfilms–thoseoftheHollywoodClassicalStudioSystem–havecertainrulesorguidelinesfromwhichthetextsrarelydeviate.Scarface(HowardHawks,1932)settherulesforthevillainouslead,TonyCamonte,whoseambitionsandlustforpowerleadhimtobetheseedofhisownundoing;athemecontinuedintheBrianDePalmaremakeScarface(1983),oreventhe‘gangsta’version,NewJackCity(MarioVanPeebles,1991)–thegangstermustbeseentofallfrompower.

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BulletBoychallengesthis.Itcontainsgangsterelementscertainly,suchastherelease of Ricky from prison and his return to former dealer/friend Wisdomwhotriestoseducehimbacktohisgangsterways.WeretheaudiencetobefollowingWisdom’sstorythenthegangsterelementsareinplace–herefusestorelinquishpower,refusestorecognisehismortality(akintoScarface)andiskilledneedlessly.Butwedonotseehimfall–physicallyormetaphorically–soitisnotcompletelyagangsterfilm.

BulletBoymightbeconsideredasateenmovie.IfwefollowthestoryofCurtisandRio(theyoungerboys)thentheteenmovieelementsareinplace:ariteofpassagetakesplacefromthediscoveryofthedeaddogtotheaccidentalshootingofRiowherebothboysareforcedtogrowupquickly–notdissimilartotheeventsofStandByMe(RobReiner,1986).Teenmoviesshowacharacter’sjourney from innocence to adulthood Curtis’ character arc shows a clearprogressionofmovingfrominnocence(videogames)toadulthood(destroyingthegun).Additionally, theuseof locationssuchastheschoolandhome-lifesuggestteenmovies.

HoweverRicky’scharacterarcproblematisesthisreadingofthefilm.Rickylearnshis lesson, rejectshis lifeof crimeand is trying to redeemhimself.Thusbytheseexpectationsheshouldbe rewardedwith thenew lifeand lovehesodesires.Ricky’scharacterarcpushesBulletBoyoutofteenandintodrama–hehasmadehisjourneyandbecomeanadultyethischaracterisstillchallengedfurther.Likeotherdramafilms,motivationforthenarrativeisemotionalchangeand(often)suffering.So it iswithRicky–hischaracter isflawed,hemakesbadchoicesandthetextdoesnotallowhimanyescapefromthosechoices.Ultimatelyhisredemptioniscompromisedbyhisowninactionandindecision.HeisofferedloveandanescapebyShea–whichhelosesthroughhisownindecisionoverWisdom;andheismorallyresponsibleforRio’sinjuries–byhisowninactionofkeepingthegun.

The three character arcs described above demonstrate how BulletBoy doesnotadheretoanyonegenrebutmanagestohybridiseelements frommany.Itreflectssimilar‘urban’dramaslikeCityofGod,LaHaineorBoysNTheHood.Thecharactersarenotmorallysimplistic,theoutcomesarenotpredictableand,particularly where Ricky is concerned, perhaps even unjustified.These couldarguablybecollectivelylabelledasasub-genre:theUrbanYouthDrama–butnoneofthemcanbestrictlycategorisedasanyspecificgenretext.

ThusBulletBoyisabletoreinforceitsbitter-sweetmessagequitesuccessfullyby not resorting to sensationalist ‘events’ or conveniently ‘all-too-happy’resolutionswhicharetheexpectationsofthegenrefilm.Theoutcomebeingatextwhichistakenmuchmoreseriouslythanamoregenericapproachwouldhaveachieved.

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Concepts of Ideology in Film – Bullet Boy as a Morality

tale

Theterm‘ideology’comesfromthepoliticalarenabutinawidercontextitreferstoideasormessagesandvalues,whichareentrenchedinthetext’snarrativestructure.Itconveystheintendedphilosophiesorbeliefsoftheauthor.Itusuallydepictsthebeliefsandvaluesofthedominantsocialorder,thuscreatingtheimpressionthatthisbeliefisthereforecorrectorthemostjustifiable.

WhereBulletBoyisconcernedthereisawideandambiguousmessageimpliedwithin the text.The themesofchoiceand imprisonmentsuggest reasons forhowthecharactersendupinthesituationsdepictedinthetext,deliveredinamannerwhich,whilenotexcusingthebadchoices,doesdemonstratehoweasilyagoodlifecanbedestroyedbycircumstance–ratherthansimplisticallyblaming thedrugsor thegangs for thedestructionof somanyyoung lives.BulletBoydoesallowitscharactersmomentsofhappiness–rewardsforgoodchoices(Ricky’s‘goodday’iceskatingwithSheaandCurtisafterrejectinghispast)butsternlypunishesbadchoices(bothRickyandWisdomendupdead).Theambiguityremainsinnotpointingthefingeratanyspecific‘villain’asthecauseofthisblightasthatwouldtoosimplisticamessage.

TheissueofthebreakdownofthefamilycouldbecitedasapossiblereasonforRicky(andCurtispotentially)toembraceganglifeandcrime.TheonlyparentalrolesshownareRickyandCurtis’mumandRio’sfamily.RickyhimselfassumesaparentalrolewithCurtisuntilhismotherthrowshimout.Sheisdepictedinavery realistic (thereforenotperfect)way,and is clearly struggling to cope.TheabsenceofafatherfigurecouldthereforebearguedasapossiblefactorinRicky’scriminalwaysandCurtis’tendenciesinthisdirection.

HoweverRio isshowntobefarmorewaywardthanCurtisandyethehasaverypresentandcaringfathersothisargumentbecomesdebatable,followingtheambiguityofthetextasawhole,notwantingtolayblamewhollyatanyonedoor.

Thewidersocialissueofshortageofopportunityfortheyoungpeopleinthisborough ishighlightedbyRicky’s lackofoptions in termsofemploymentortraining (theDSSback-to-workguide). It isalso impliedvisually through theanonymouscharacter,dressedidenticallytoRickyandWisdomhangingaroundatthesideoftheroadintheopeningsequenceasitsuggeststheproblemisnotlocalisedtojustRickyandWisdom(andsubsequentlyCurtisandRio).Theanonymouscharactercouldbeeitheroneofthemandshowshowwidespreadtheproblemsactuallyarewithintheborough.

The Establishment is depicted in an ambiguous light on all occasions it isencounteredthroughavarietyofinstitutions.Ricky’sprisondesksergeantandthecaseworkerforhisparolearebothshowntobeimpersonalandunfeelingtowardshisowncircumstancesandthearmedpolicewhostormtheflatafterthe shooting are equally impersonal. Yet given the situations in which we

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(theaudience)areintroducedtothem,theyarenotshownaseitherunfairoroppressive.Eventhepolice(admittedlyheavy-handed,especiallywhenthrowingRicky’smumtothefloor)areshownasuncaringbutnotnecessarilyunfair.TheyarerespondingtothethreatofanillegallyownedfirearmwhichRickychosetokeep(andCurtishelpfullyhidforhim).

ThemessagesorideologicalperspectivesinBulletBoyseemambiguousormixedas,foreveryclearexplanationorreason,thetextprovidesacounterargument.However,thedominantideologicalperspectivethatisreinforcedinthetextisthematterofchoiceand,ultimately,change.Rickyisgiventheopportunitytoescape,tochooseanotherway–butheelectstostayuntilchangeisforceduponhimtoprotectCurtis.Shea,BevandPastorLeonrepresentthesensiblewayandthewayinwhichthetextimpliesRickyshouldgo.ThetextchallengesacceptedEstablishmentviewsbyshowingtheobstaclesinfollowingthisroutebutitdoesnotatanytimeallowtheaudiencetobelieveRickyhasnooptionbuttobeacriminal.

Despite its apparentlyuncriticaldepictionof the Londongang culture anda‘documentary-style’approachtothefilming,thetextisresolutelyboundtotheEstablishment in its ideologicalperspective.Thethemespreviouslydiscussedreinforcethis:

Ricky can accept the authority of the Establishment and get a minimumwagejob(asShea/Bevask).HecanembracethechurchasLeon(andeventuallyBev)did.LeavingtheneighbourhoodasRickyhimselfsuggests,adecisionencouragedbySheaandultimatelyforcedonhimbyBev.OrhecanrefusethehelpofsocietyandabandonEstablishmentasWisdomdid–withdireconsequences.

InorderforBulletBoytoremainambiguousitavoidspointingfingersatanyone.Rickymakesbadchoices–theseareshowntobenothisonlyoptionsbutthecontextwithinwhichhemakesthemisalsomadeclear,reinforcingthemessagethatthewaysofthestreetandgang-culturearearepetitivecycleofviolenceanddeath.

Summary

To conclude, then, Bullet Boy is a multi purpose media text for which anynumberofdifferentusescanbefound. Itcanbeunpackedandde-codedasanexampleofcontemporaryBritishcinemaandstudiedforthemessagesandvalues(ideology)heldwithinitasamoralitytaleorexplorationofidentityforAS/ALevelFilm–aperspectivewhichcannotberemovedfromitsinstitutionalrootsasaclearexampleofpubliclyfundedfilm-making.

ThoseinstitutionalrootscanalsobestudiedasanexampleofcontemporaryBritishcinemaforthecurrentMediaspecification(Unit2735)wherestudentscan examine the specifically British values within the text. It’s funding and

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financebeingbasedinpublicsources,itcanbeusedasacomparativepiecetootherworkssuchasKidulthood.Bothusesimilarsourcematerialbut thedirectionandintentionsarevastlydifferent.BulletBoyisamoregroundedandrealistictextincomparisonwhereasKidulthoodadoptsamoresensationalisedapproachtothematerial.

TheMediaandCollectiveIdentityunitofOCRA2MediaStudies(firstteachingSeptember 2009) could also make considerable use of this as a text in acomparative study with aforementioned texts like Kidulthood / Adulthood(Clarke,2008)oreventhenewestexampleShifty(Creavy,2008).TheexplorationofidentityoutlinedthroughtheseyouthfilmswouldalsobeanaccessibleandlogicalprogressionfromASMediaonOCR.

Teachers of Media who are following the Advanced Production (G324) FilmpackagesyllabuswouldfindBulletBoyanaccessible (andcredible)exampleagainst themore sensationalist aspectsof theothersparticularly if they arelookingatteachingtrailersandtheirroleinfindinganaudience.TheBulletBoytrailermakesforaninterestingstudyasitissomewhatmisleadingabouttheaction-orientedcontentofthewholefilm.Thisgivesthestudentsaclosestudyonwhatelementsthedistributorsfeltweremarketablewhichmayhelpthemtounderstandtherelationshipbetweenthetrailerandthetextasawhole.

ItcanalsobeusedasanexampleofUKFilmCouncilproductalongsideotherexampleslikeThisisEngland(Meadows,2006)thatinvestigateBritishidentityinavarietyoffacets.

ThisexplorationofidentityandsocietyisalsoausefultoolforboththeBorders& Belonging or Living with Crime sections of FM2 (WJECAS Film) in whichstudentscananalysethethemesandnarrativestolookathowthecharactersusegangmembershipand criminal loyaltiesasa substitute for failed familystructures and a lack of belonging outside of the gangs. Where the ShaneMeadowsfilmlooksatgangculturethroughtheeyesofShaunandtheNationalFront, Dibb approaches it via Curtis and black gang culture. Shaun idolisesfirstWoodyandthenComboandisledintothegangbyaneedtobelong;sosimilarlyCurtis is initially seducedbyRicky’sownstandingand respect frompeerslikeWisdom.

BulletBoycanalsobeusedasateachingaidforallages,withitscharactersbeingasmuchtargetedtowardstheGCSErange(withCurtisandRio)astheA level. Its concepts and themes, although shocking, are not exploitative orgratuitous. They are also quite accessible – simple images such as Curtiscontinuallyplayingviolentvideogamesashe‘trains’forthestreetleadingtohis‘inevitable’brushwithcrimeallowsforlinkstobemadeusingMediaEffectstheoriesataverybasiclevel.

ThematicallythiscanalsobelinkedtootherfilmsofthistypeasCurtis’narrativereflectsthejourneyundertakenbyRocketinCityofGod(Meirelles,2002)andthus both texts could be taught alongside each other in Film for theWorld

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Cinemaunit.Studentsareoftenmoreabletograspthethemesandconceptsraisedinforeignfilmiflinkscanbedrawntofilmsinmorefamiliarsettings.FrommyownexperienceteachingBulletBoy,studentswerebetterabletograspthecentralthemesandstructuresofCityofGodseeingalinkbetweenRocketandCurtis.Giventhatthecentralthemesofthetextareuniversal–acrossmodernAmerican,contemporaryBritishandeven‘WorldCinema’texts–itmakesforaveryversatileteachingaid.

References

http://archive.student.bmj.com/issues/05/05/reviews/216.php

http://www.bulletboy.net/making/

http://www.vervepics.com/bb.shtml

http://www.vervepictures.co.uk/docs/bbnotes.pdf

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In Volume III issue 3 of Splice

CrossingBorders,PushingBoundaries

IncludingThe Dark Knight and the Twenty-First Century Super Hero byRobinBell ‘To the North!’ The Red Riding Trilogy byJohnFitzgerald If There’s Only One Film You Use, Make It... Bullet Boy byGuyStanley

Available Summer term 2009

Stills copyrightinformation

cover: AI © Warner Bros. / Aquarius Collection; The Age of Stupid © Spanner Films

The Age of Stupid © Spanner Films; Wolf Creek © Aquarius Collection; Wall-E © Pixar / BFI / image.net; The Mist © Dimension Films / image.net

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