Stripes

Screen West Midlands

UK FILM COUNCIL
Lottery Funded
Producer: Doug Holloway
Writer/Director: Sean Spencer
Run Time: 1 !inutes "" seconds
Genre: Dra!a
Year: "#
The Beginning (The Set-Up)
We are introduced to t$e protagonist% a !iddle&aged !ale o' w$ite origin% w$o is
standing in $is 'lat% as i' $e is waiting 'or so!et$ing( )$e door *u++es% as $is ,ettle
*oils
arrati!e "na#$sis: -ll t$e way t$roug$out t$e 'irst scene% t$e ,ettle is *oiling $ot
water( )$is ,ettle can *e used as a !etap$or 'or t$e approac$ing new c$aracter% due to
t$e *u**ling% and t$e $eat *uilding up until it 'inally *lows( It can also *e seen as a
*uild up o' t$e protagonist.s pro*le!s% w$ic$ $a/e all piled up wit$in $is li'e to
'inally co!e *ac, and $aunt $i!(
The %idd#e (The De!e#opment)
)$e ne0t scene sees t$e protagonist tied up and *leeding% w$ilst anot$er !iddle&aged
!an stands *e'ore $i!% using e0tre!ely a*usi/e language towards t$e protagonist(
)$e !an re/eals $e $as *een searc$ing 'or t$e protagonist% 'or re/enge *ecause o'
$ow $e was treated *y t$e protagonist in sc$ool( )$e !an socialises wit$ t$e
protagonist% e0e!pli'ying t$at $e is deranged1 going 'ro! *eing t$reatening to
socia*le in suc$ a s$ort space o' ti!e( He e0clai!s $e $ates t$e protagonist% and
*egins to p$ysically a*use t$e protagonist *y punc$ing $i! repeatedly(
arrati!e "na#$sis: )$e protagonist.s story is de/eloped t$roug$ t$is $eated
e0c$ange wit$ t$e antagonist% w$ic$ sees $is own p$ysical and !ental well*eing
t$reatened *y t$is new c$aracter( His pro*le!s $a/e intensi'ied% as $e is now in a
position w$ere $e cannot escape t$roug$ $is own doings% *ut wait 'or t$e outco!e o'
w$at t$e antagonist will do(
The &nd (The Reso#ution)
)$e antagonist re/eals $is scar% gi/en to $i! *y t$e protagonist all t$ose years ago%
*e'ore re/ealing a ,ni'e( )$e protagonist *egs 'or 'orgi/eness% *ut t$e antagonist
*egins to use t$e ,ni'e on $i! as t$e narrati/e co!es to an i!!ediate close(
arrati!e: )$e protagonist.s worry o' w$et$er $e would *e a*le to escape $a/e *een
answered *y t$e antagonist% w$o s$ows no signs o' releasing $i! until $e 'eels t$ey
are on e/en ter!s1 in t$e antagonist.s !indset% t$at is *y causing t$e protagonist pain
and su''ering(
%ood/atmosphere
)$e !ood is created t$roug$ t$e protagonist% w$o stands 2uietly in $is 'lat%
e!p$asising t$e 2uiet at!osp$ere t$at surrounds $is li'e( )$e *oiling o' $is ,ettle
creates an intense at!osp$ere as it slowly rises% *e'ore it reac$es its *oiling point and
i!!ediately de/elops into a w$ole new di''erent situation(
)$e !ood is de/eloped t$roug$ t$e new c$aracter% w$o displays $eated signs o' anger
and aggression( )$e !ood $as s$i'ted to a !uc$ $ig$er intensity% as our protagonist is
now tied up% *leeding% and in state o' s$oc, and 'ear( )$e at!osp$ere $as li/ened up
t$roug$ t$e 'oul a*usi/e language e0c$anged% and t$e anger and 'ear 'elt *etween
*ot$ c$aracters( -s t$e story de/elops% it is clear t$ese two people ,now eac$ ot$er
'ro! c$ild$ood% and are *e$a/ing in a /iolent3t$reatened !anner% as t$ere di''erences
$a/e not *een resol/ed( -s we *egin to understand !ore a*out t$ese c$aracters% it
poses t$e 2uestion w$et$er t$e assu!ed 4protagonist5 really is t$e protagonist% and
w$et$er t$e assu!ed 4antagonist5 really is t$e antagonist% and t$at t$ey are not /ice
/ersa wit$in t$ese roles( )$is 2uestion is posed *ecause we 'ind out our protagonist
a*used and scarred t$e antagonist% leading t$e audience to !a,e a decision as to
w$o! t$ey *elie/e is t$e real t$reat to t$is storyline(
Technica# "na#$sis
'amera:
)$e usage o' di''erent ca!era tec$ni2ues is /ery closed% as t$is 'il! is a $iatus%
lea/ing it only a*le to use *asic ca!era s$ots and angles( )$e !ain ca!era s$ots used
are close&ups o' *ot$ c$aracters% s$owing us t$ere is an ongoing con/ersation *etween
t$e two o' t$e!( )$e angles used 'or eac$ close&up are slig$tly une/en% wit$ t$e
antagonist.s angle used 'ro! a $ig$er perspecti/e at ti!es1 t$is suggests t$e power
and aut$ority $e $as o/er t$e protagonist( )$e occasional s$a,iness o' t$e ca!era
suggests so!e o' t$e s$ots are used 'ree&$and% w$ic$ lin,s to t$e s$a,iness o' t$e
storyline(
Sound:
)$ere is no soundtrac,% !usic% or non&diegetic sound used in t$is $iatus% e0e!pli'ying
t$e low *udget% and also t$e t$e!e o' t$ere *eing a serious and dar, !atter to contend
wit$% o' t$e 'il!( )$e diegetic sound o' t$e ,ettle% and o' t$e loud /oices o' t$e
c$aracters% de!onstrates t$e i!portance o' t$e $eated !o!entu! 'elt t$roug$out t$is
$iatus(
%ise-en-Scene:
)$e lig$ting is o' a /ery lig$t colour% w$ic$ in 'act contrasts wit$ T(o 'ars )ne
ight% w$ic$ $as a sullen lig$ting design% due to it *eing 'il!ed at nig$t ti!e% and as a
*lac, and w$ite 'il!( )$is 'il! $iatus instead $as an e0tre!ely $ig$ contrast% wit$ a
*rig$t colour design% 'il!ed in t$e lig$t o' day in t$e protagonist.s apart!ent( )$e
props suc$ as t$e ,ni'e% t$e *oiling ,ettle% and t$e *inds used on t$e protagonist $elp
create a power'ul and se/ere en/iron!ent% enticing t$e audience into t$e storyline(
)$e set design is one location% t$at *eing t$e protagonist.s apart!ent% identi'ying t$e
closed nature o' t$e story(
&diting:
)$e editorial pacing is noticea*le% as t$ere are 2uic, c$anges *ac, and 'ort$ *etween
*ot$ c$aracters t$roug$out t$e $iatus( )$e editing $elps create an i!pression on t$e
audience t$at t$e action will *e 'ast&paced and edgy% w$ic$ is li,ely w$at t$e director%
Sean Spencer% wanted t$e audience to 'eel a*out $is $iatus(