BULLET BOY

In the boot of the carTypical to thriller:A body in the boot of a car, our initial reaction is danger, whether that is a kidnap/or undiscovered, it’s a small confined space which is seen as negative due to the dark lighting, it also suggests trouble/threat/vulnerability all known to typical victims/protagonists in thrillersHow does it contribute to the representation of the characters?The representation of the boy inside the boot of the car is that he is frightened however he seems crafty (as he waited a while until he started to bang on the roof of the boot) it suggests the boy might be a trouble maker/out of his comfort zone

In a prison, in the cellTypical to thriller:The prison indicates criminal activity which is typical in thrillers as most narrative start because of a crime, also the fact he is being release creates an uneasy feeling for the viewer, as he was/may have been a risk to societyHow does this contribute to the representation of the characters?The portrayal of the man in prison; he’s mysterious as it’s unknown as to why he was in the jail cell, also stereotypically known as ‘hard’ or someone to be frightened of, it also suggests that he might be a re-offender as the dialogue between both the officer and him seems almost casual/as if they’ve known each other before.

BULLET BOY

On the road (through the car, inside the car)Deserted area, driving down a long empty road by greenery/countrysideTypical to thriller:The road also seems deserted, it’s an area of derelict land, meaning it looks rarely used and the surrounding include fields/trees which is typical to thriller locations as they’re usually set in area of seclusion/rural areas or the outskirts of urban areas to create an alone/helpless emotionHow does this contribute to the representation of the characters?The man driving the car seems quite shifty and the fact that he’s driving along what seems to be a deserted road makes him look susceptive/mysterious, like he could potentially be the antagonist.

Describe lighting/colour stock

Dark, black, grey tinted/tinged Bright in parts like outside/in the prison cell which contrasts to inside the boot where it’s dark with shadowy low lighting

How is this used to create atmosphere? This creates an eerie, mysterious, negative feeling for inside the boot; which indicates a threat/dangerWhich is dissimilar to the feeling created outside, although it’s bright it has a grey ting to it which provides anxiety to the viewer as it’s emphasising on the boy in the boot, providing empathy towards him

The lighting alternates between light/dim/dark, same place/time but different lighting to suggest danger and unawareness

Mise-en-scene - Performance

Describe the costume/ appearance of the characters‘Ricky’ wears a grey tracksuit and Nike trainers which links with the theme of the story as it’s set in the ‘rough’ areas of London and this is stereotypical of that area also of a typical offenderThe police officer wears a uniform which is iconic to that specific role, (what we’d expect to see) The young boy is hard to identify what clothing he is wearing but presumably it is similar to what ‘Ricky’ is wearing as they are from the same area/typical themeThe other man driving the car; he is wearing a denim jacket/shirt What does this connote?it sets the time/date whether it is modern or not; in this case it is a modern film which appeals to younger audiences

What props are used?How are they typical of the genre?How do they add to the action?What additional information do they give us about the characters?

‘Ricky’s’ bag; this is typical to the thriller genre as it is unknown to the audience as to what is in the bag; key to thrillers as it’s creates a sense of mystery, this particular prop doesn’t contribute much to the action, the bag may indicate that he travels light, he doesn’t have many possessions, also it suggests his social class as it isn’t an expensive looking bag which links in with the area that the film is set in.

A gun; this is the most important prop, which is frequently shown/used throughout the film, it is which drives the narrative, this is typical of a thriller genre as there is commonly a murder in thrillers and weapons/violence as key features, the gun is the action, the gun is the main prop t the narrative as portrayed in the title ‘bullet boy’ it also is what starts off all of the conflict and which in turn provides the storyline. This suggests that in the area it’s set in that it’s not uncommon for people to be handling gangs and that it is quite a ‘rough’ area, also it gives an idea of the characters as even the little kids who handle the gun aren’t actually afraid of it and see it as a game, the gun is used by most characters and makes it hard to establish the antagonist and protagonists

Describe the actors’ PerformanceBody language/ accent/ paralanguageKey phrases etc.

What does this tell us about the social status of the character?What does it tell us about the personality of the character?

All of the actors performances are shifty, there body language towards each other is belittling which suggests they all think that they are ‘hard’ typically those portrayed a gangsters, they all speak with a south London accent which is commonly portrayed as a ‘rough’ area, this suggests that the social status of the character is that of someone’s who is shown as in ‘poverty’ , however the main character ‘Ricky’ seems to be the only one with the aspiration to move out of that environment and ‘make something of himself’ which implies that his personality is different to those around him, and that he actually has empathy towards people.

Each shot/ angle and movement for the first full minute – why has the director chosen to film this sequence in this way? What meaning is created?

The first shot is a mid shot of the boy in the boot of a car, it is a side on view and the camera is at a higher angle than the character to suggest he is in the weaker position/making him seem vulnerable which relates to his surrounding as he is in the boot of a moving car. The next shot is a medium close up which switches into a mid shot, this shows movement from the character, shown from the point of view from the police officer; this creates a certain sense of power as the police officer is watching the ‘criminal’ the first shot is a low angle which then changes to a pint of view from the officer, the director used this potentially to show a certain vulnerability/low feeling from the person inside the cell.

Editing

The type of editing is fast pace, this is to show continuity as it is harder for the audience/viewer to notice when it changes, however some cuts are more obvious to show a change in setting/area. This creates the sense that it’s all happening at the same time and there isn’t any time differences (in the past/future).

Examples of dialogue, music, sound effects etc.Sound e.g. Voices, Accents/ dialogue, Voice over, Music, Sound effects, Ambient sound, SilenceThere’s dialogue between the police officer and main character ‘’come on sleepy head, time to go home’’- the guard says this to the prisoner whilst opening the cell door, this indicates the obvious that ‘Ricky’ is being released from jail and that what he was in for wasn’t as serious as the prison guard is quite friendly towards him, it implies that he broke the law and to some extent he is a criminal.Up until the first dialogue spoken there is a constant soundtrack which changes in pitch and tone when he is released suggesting there’s something mysterious/eerie about the character. There’s ambient sounds of a car in the first scene, also there’s jingling of the keys in the prison, a door slamming, and the stamp used to say he is released, the lighter; these all suggest they have been heightened to create more of an affect on the viewer, it also implies that these props are important to the narrative.

What information does it give / how does it create / imply meaning?

List images that give us clues as to the narrative / characterisation in the film to come

How do they convey the genre type?

This scene hints at the narrative being crime based, and that crime/criminal activities is going to be common and the main theme. This conveys the genre type as the usual starting point of a thriller is when a crime has been committed

This suggests at the different types of characters portrayed, the fact he’s smoking suggests anxiety or stress which makes it relatable to the viewers, commonly in thriller the antagonist has a habit and frequently it is smoking.

This hints that this is an area of desertion which is typically to thrillers as they are usually set in derelict places, which seem secluded.

This scene suggests danger/trouble is going to be key to the narrative, it also portrays this character as vulnerable, this feels the viewer with un-answered questions and mystery is very recurring in thrillers.