GCSE FILM STUDIES

REVISION BOOKLET

NAME ……………………….…………………..

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Contents

Rebel Without A Cause 3

Contexts
Key Learning - Genre
Film Form & Links To Sequences
Example Questions

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 12

Contexts
Key Learning - Genre
Film Form & Links To Sequences
Example Questions

Comparative Analysis 20
Key Learning
Example Questions

Timeline 23
Timeline Overview
Example Questions

Whiplash 25
Contexts
Key Learning - Specialist Writing A – Finding The Frame
Key Learning – Specialist Writing B – What Makes A Film Independent?
Key Learning - Specialist Writing C – Whiplash, Men & Masculinity
Example Questions

District 9 36
Contexts
Key Learning - Narrative
Film Form & Links To Sequences
Example Questions

Tsotsi 44
Contexts
Key Learning - Representation
Film Form & Links To Sequences
Example Questions

Skyfall 50
Contexts
Key Learning - Aesthetics
Film Form & Links To Sequences
Example Questions

Revision Podcasts/YouTube Videos 56

Consolidation Worksheet & Structure Help
Glossary Of Key Terms

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 Rebel Without A Cause was released in 1955.

The film revolves around a group of emotionally charged,

suburban, middle-class teenagers and was a commentary on
society at the time and also, an alternative to similar narratives
set in poorer locations.

James Dean, the film’s star, tragically died in a car accident a

month before the film was released.

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 Rebel Without A Cause – Contexts

Historical Contexts
This was the first major Studio (Warner Bros) to make a teen film; it had high
production values, and ‘hot’ young stars.

Crusade against communism/red scare.

The definition of communism is a system
where all property is public and people
work and are given things by the
government according to their needs.
A "Red Scare" is the promotion of a
widespread fear of a potential rise of
communism or anarchism by a society or
state. The name refers to the red flags that the communists used. The term is most
often used to refer to two periods in the history of the United States which are
referred to by this name.

A recurring mood in many films of the 1950’s was that of

paranoia.
This was a reflection of the climate of fear created by the
mass hysteria of the McCarthy witch hunts (McCarthyism
- the practice of making accusations
of subversion or treason without proper regard for
evidence).
In Rebel Without A Cause, Jim does not know who to
trust or listen to.

Suburbs were growing in this era, this story focuses on the

youths in a Los Angeles suburb, these new family homes
were desirable, but cold and lifeless, and there is little
affection in these homes.

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More people speaking out against inequality civil rights in this time, the film
demonstrated the desire for young people to do the right thing, Jim wants to
confess and desires justice, it is the older generation that get in the way of this, and
they do not listen.

Genre
Tag lines for the film showed a
confusion about how the film should be
marketed, Teen Drama or ‘B’ movie:
“Teenage terror torn from today’s
headlines”
“The bad boy from a good family”
Rebel showed that films centred on
teenagers could well be from the
teenagers point of view, and appeal to
teens.

The film is from the male POV, girls are quite passive figures. Female led teen
movies became more dominant in the 1990’s.

Social Contexts
The 1950’s are considered the birth of
the teenager, this social group had a
new identity: Young people had more
money (a disposable income); products
such as music, film and fashion were
targeted at this group. They were
powerful consumers and therefore a
powerful ‘voice’ in consumerist
America.
Better education, which led them to
question the world.

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It was a time of peace, so young
men were not at war, a confusing
era for young men who could not
identify with their war time fathers
or have a war to fight and prove
themselves.

This new social group was

considered by some as
threatening, unruly and out of
control, the film reflected and responded to this concern.
This film was a sympathetic representation of teenagers, blaming the parents for
their delinquency

James Dean and star power:

Dean was a new kind of actor,
(method) and became an icon,
and the face of a generation.
He appeared poetic, tormented
and brooding, not the usual ‘hero’
type.

‘The Outsider’ is a typical

narrative convention of teen
genre, this trope allows the
audience to experience the new
school location & characters with
the protagonist.

Film takes place over a 2 day period.

Teen POV - a mistrust of authority figures, parents are overtly criticized for being
too weak, or too dominant, they can’t win at all. But this message clearly appeals to
the target audience.

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Rebel Without A Cause – Key Learning

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8
 Rebel Without A Cause – Film Form & Sequences

Opening Family Argument Ending ‘I Got The Bullets!’

Opening
The long take during the credits of Dean
lying in the road playing with the toy
monkey, this allows the audience to gaze at
him, identifying him as an object of desire.

The first pan around the station lingers on

Plato in the foreground. A combination of a
slow zoom into Judy as she cries and tells
her story. The long take uncomfortably
forces the audience to hear her painful
story.

The monkey, firstly connotes Jim is still a

child, but the monkey is a wind-up toy
trapped in a cycle only able to clap the
symbols, this is a metaphor for Jim, also
trapped in his cycle of disruption.
Judy is first seen in her striking red dress, a
symbol of her womanhood.

The three ‘misfits’ are immediately bonded

in this scene, often in the background of the
shots. A very Low Angle shot is used when
Jim stands to greet his parents, connoting
his power over them.

The police station is claustrophobic and

oppressive, most of the windows are
covered in venetian blinds connoting a
sense of entrapment.
At first, Dean’s performance is that of an
adorable drunk, he giggles and wails and
plays with his toy.

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Jim is identified as a father figure to
Plato as he offers him his jacket.
Jim and Judy are desperate for the
attention and approval of their fathers. It
is possible that the reason for their
delinquency for all three of these
juveniles is laid at the feet of the parents.

Jim also tries out a tormented youth

“You’re tearing me apart” persona and
that of a tough guy when he attempts to
punch the Juvenile Officer, resulting in a
layered and much celebrated
performance from Dean of a teenager
searching for his identity.

Family Argument
A 180 degree vertical rotation POV shot
of Jim’s mother descending the stairs
towards him denotes that Jim’s world is
‘upside down’ following the death of
Buzz. The camera tilts creating a ‘dutch’
angle as they argue on the stairs, this
visualises Jim’s inner turmoil and
confusion.

Jim is usually placed in between his parents in a ‘3 shot’ as they both talk ‘at’ him, forcing the
actor to turn this way and that, this adds a frantic motion to the scene that connotes Jim’s inner
turmoil.

Jim is from a ‘good’ family, we can see the home is suburban and reasonably wealthy from the
use of props such as the TV.

Costume: Jim’s red jacket is a visual link

to Judy’s red outfit at the start, it
symbolises danger. Jim’s parents blend
into the background, their nightgowns
the same hue as the walls. The TV
simply shows static, this connotes Jim’s
frustration, and he is not getting a ‘clear
signal’ from his parents about how to
behave.

The staircase is a clear barrier, like prison bars. Jim’s father is ‘weak, a chicken’. This is Jim’s worst
fear, turning into his cowardly father. Music dramatically starts when Jim attacks his father,
anchoring the drama for the audience. Jim’s final act of rebellion in this scene is to kick a hole in a
family portrait.

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Rebel Without A Cause – Example Questions

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 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was released in 1986.

The film revolves around Ferris and his friends, Cameron &
Sloane, ‘ditching’ school for a day in Chicago.

Like all of the films by writer/director John Hughes, Ferris is set

in Chicago. On the decision, Hughes said: "I really wanted to
capture as much of Chicago as I could. Not just in the
architecture and landscape, but the spirit."

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 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – Contexts

Historical Contexts
80’s economic boom meant that teens
found it easier to afford cars and such,
led to selfish teens. Ferris is annoyed
because he got a computer and not a
car.

The US was the most powerful nation

in the world, and was winning the Cold
War. This feeling of invincibility can be
seen in scenes like ‘The Parade’ where
the whole country appears to be
unified.

Genre
John Hughes is considered ‘an auteur’ of the teen genre.

The appeal of teen films is that it allows the audience, whatever

age they may be, to re-live their High School Years, and in this
film, it allows us to re-live high school as the most popular kid in
school.

"While we were making the movie, I just knew I had a really good
part", Alan Ruck (who played Cameron) says. "My realization of
John's impact on the teen-comedy genre crept in sometime later.
Teen comedies tend to dwell on the ridiculous, as a rule. It's
always the preoccupation with sex and the self-involvement, and
we kind of hold the kids up for ridicule in a way. Hughes added
this element of dignity. He was an advocate for teenagers as
complete human beings, and he honored their hopes and their
dreams. That's what you see in his movies."

Teen films have a critical view of authority and High School, the character of ‘Rooney’ embodies
this but the Ferris’ parents are seen in a sympathetic light. High School is simply shown to be
boring ‘Bueller, Bueller…..’ but not dangerous.

Social Contexts
In the 50’s the teenager was ‘born’ and there was an
element of fear surrounding that generation.
(Ephibiphobia).

In the 80’s, teenagers do not need to battle parents,

they have already won, teenagers were celebrated.

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However an obsession with labels and
designer goods meant that status was tied
into external symbols of wealth (which Ferris
has in abundance).

Generation X, were called ‘latchkey kids’ due

to changes in society these teens had less
adult supervision than previous generations.

MTV was launched in 1981 and became the

voice of the teen generation.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off might have been the story of ‘one man’s struggle to take it easy’ but that
one man was doing what countless teenagers dreamed of doing: bunking off school so that he
and his friends, Cameron and Sloane, can have one last great time together, especially with
adulthood looming. But dreams were bigger than reality in Ferris Bueller. Everything about the
title character was highly idealised, form his clothes to his behaviour and vocabulary; an
impossible teenage work of art who borrowed
from a range of styles and subcultures before
offering them back as a little something for
everyone.

Narrative
Ferris offers us an alternative to the usual
‘outsider’ protagonist that usually guides us
through High School, instead we have the POV
of the most popular boy in school, and the direct
mode of address used places us at his side,
equally popular.
A classic Hollywood Narrative structure is used,
the happy ending offers the audience pleasure
and reward.

Legacy
As with other iconic 80s films, Ferris Bueller’s influence and legacy
carried on for many years to come with many films referencing Ferris –
Intertextuality. Intertextuality: when one text is shaped, informed by
another. The intertextuality continued with ads that, lets face it, milked
the Ferris Bueller IP and lined the pockets of those involved!

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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – Key Learning

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16
 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – Film Form & Sequences

Opening Parade Cameron Trashes The Ferrari

Opening
Establishing shot is of a classically suburban, upper middle
class home, a ‘white house’. This is iconographic of the
American dream, complete with 3 new cars parked out front.

Ferris’ room is filled with the trappings of an 80’s teen in

consumerist America, a TV stereo, synthesizers and a
computer. These were high value goods at the time (yet he
repeatedly complains he was not given a car).

The first time we see the parents is in POV shot, positioning the
audience as the ‘child’ in the scene.

A POV rack focus is also used when Ferris looks at Jeanie.

Introduction of Jeannie is staggered, with a CU of the foot

tapping, then CU of hands on hips before the reveal of the
face, it is the edits here (It is not a slow pan/male gaze shot)
that show she is introduced as the aggressor or antagonist, she
is not sexualised like Sloane.

When Ferris opens the curtains there is a shot from the outside
looking in, solidifying Ferris’ position as a privileged prince in
his tower.

Performance and breaking the 4th wall, it becomes clear that

this is not a realistic approach. The audience are invited into his
world, he talks to us like we are his friends, meaning that we are
implicated in his wrongdoing, we are passive observers yet just
as guilty as him. Or are we his conscience?

The text on screen ‘Faking out parents’, pushed the sense of

postmodernism even further, Ferris is aware that he is in a film.
The text is like a public service video, giving us instruction,
Ferris is described as a ‘great guy’ by almost everyone in the
film, this is his way of getting us to like him, we want to be his
friend.

Postmodernism = Active Consciousness

A character knowing they are in a film, breaking the fourth wall,
referring to the ‘fakeness’ of something or ‘winking’ to the
audience.
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Music is used to appeal to the teen audience, to anchor the
feeling of excitement and demonstrate how cool Ferris is in
this scene.

There are a few scenes in the film that adopt an MTV/Music

Video style montage, this montage actually starts with the
MTV ad.

Parade
The cinematography in this scene shows off Chicago’s
landmarks and the impressive architecture with a series of
longshots down the parade route.

The camera is placed in the crowd looking up at Ferris in

wonder, we are part of the masses, and he is in an elevated
position on the float and in society as a wealthy white male.

The American flag appears in almost all of the shots, at times

it frames Ferris on the float but looks into the corners of the
frame, in the reflection of windows.

This scene is a celebration of America’s greatness and

diversity, an advert for the American dream, happy smiling
faces of different ages, status and race all dancing together.

Ferris is positioned at the centre of the crowd, the heart of this

joyous mass hysteria, representing that the white middle class
male is ‘king’ in this culture, the crowd worship him, he can
‘do anything’.

At the end of the scene Ferris brandished a silver cane – he is the ringmaster, a rock star, a hero.

The choice of a Beatles song implies ‘Beatlemania’ a form of hero worship.

The sound of the crowd and the music bleeds into Mr Buller’s office, connoting that this celebration of
America, of youth, cannot be stopped and is embraced by all generations.

Cameron Trashes The Ferrari

In the sequence, Cameron pushes his dad’s most
prized possession (his Ferrari) out of the window,
sending it crashing down to the ground. This is the
point in the film where Cameron comes to terms with
the relationship he has with his father. The sequence
is unusual as it features a key moment for sidekick
Cameron, character type that is typically not given
such key moments in similar films.

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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – Example Questions

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 Comparative Analysis – Key Learning

The Big Picture – Development Of The ‘Teen’ Genre

Teenagers saved Hollywood. When

adult audiences began to decline from
1947, producers realised that
adolescents had an appetite for
sensation and spectacle, not to
mention the leisure and disposable
income to indulge it.

Consequently, what had once been a

mass medium suddenly became a
teenpic production line.

Until the late 1930s, film makers made little

effort to discriminate between juvenile age
groups but had invested heavily in child stars
such as Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.

Post-War ephebiphobia (fear of youth) saw

teenagers demonised in films such as The Wild
One (1953) but Rebel Without A Cause and
Blackboard Jungle (both 1955) made greater
attempts to understand the teenage psyche
with the latter depicting a cross-racial alliance
against injustice.

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It wasn’t until the production code was
revised in 1956 that Hollywood began to
tackle taboos like angst, alienation, sexual
identity, underage pregnancy and domestic
dysfunction.

The dysfunction of Jim’s family in Rebel is a

precursor to the changes of the production
code but evident that this was social
commentary that had been bubbling over for
a while.

Producers began to churn out teen

films across the genres for drive-ins
and double-feature houses.

As a result, they were accused of

juvenilising cinema, as most of the
films were filled with artifice, clichés
and stereotypes – providing shallow
solutions to pressing problems –
SOCIAL COMMENTARY!!!

After the code collapsed in the 1960s, and New

Hollywood emerged, the second wave of
teenage films came with films such as American
Graffiti (1973) and Risky Business (1983).

Teenagers particularly identified with John

Hughes’ ‘Brat Pack’ films which provided cosy
correctives to the punishments being given to
teenagers in slasher films such as Halloween
(1978).

If you were a teenager in the 80s, you were

primarily given two outlets in which to view
fellow teenagers on screen. They were either a)
rebellious, socially influenced characters or b)
victims to serial killers in the horror boom.

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Comparative Analysis – Example Questions

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23
 Key Developments Timeline – Example Questions

1. In which decade was the first full colour feature film

produced? 1930s 1940s 1950s [1]

2. The Jazz Singer was released in what year? [1]

3. Why was the Jazz Singer technologically significant? [1]

4. Name two of the five major studios operating in Hollywood in

the 1940s. [1]

5. The steadicam was used for the first time in what year? [1]

6. ILM was a company founded in the 1970s to help create CGI

for Star Wars. What does ILM stand for? [1]

7. Who were making films from the year 1895? [1]

8. A famous court case in 1948 featured the name of what film

studio? [1]

9. What two technologies were used to combat the rise of TVs at

home? [1]

10. Silent Films were developed between what two years,

according to the timeline? [1]

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Second feature directed by Damien Chazelle – now the youngest
person to win Best Director Oscar for La La Land in 2017.

Released in October 2014 in the US and January 2015 in the UK.

Stars Miles Teller as Andrew Neiman, a first year music student

at Shaffer University who becomes consumed by his need to
impress his unrelenting teacher Terence Fletcher, played by J.K.
Simmons.

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 Whiplash – Contexts

Production Contexts
After Damien Chazelle had written the screenplay, he began to search for investors
to fund the film.

In order to secure financing, Right Of Way Films

& Blumhouse Productions helped Chazelle turn
fifteen pages of his script into an eighteen
minute short film starring Johnny Simmons as
Andrew and J.K. Simmons as Fletcher.

The short film version of Whiplash debuted at

Sundance Film Festival in 2013 and won the Jury
Award for fiction which then attracted investors
to produce the full length version of the script.

Bold Films ultimately financed the full film for $3.3 Million.

Principal photography began in September 2013, with filming taking place

throughout Los Angeles.

Early on, Chazelle gave J. K. Simmons direction that "I want you to take it past
what you think the normal limit would be," telling him: "I don't want to see a
human being on-screen anymore. I want to see a monster, a gargoyle, an animal."

Many of the band members in the movie were real musicians or music students,
and Chazelle tried to capture their expressions of fear and anxiety when they were
pressed by Simmons.

The film was shot in 19 days, with a schedule of 14 hours of filming per day.
Chazelle was involved in a serious car accident in the third week of shooting and
was hospitalized with a diagnosis of possible concussion, but he returned to filming
the next day to finish the film on time.

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Upon its release, Whiplash received
universal critical acclaim and was
nominated for a total of 114 awards,
winning 49 including;
Audience Award & Grand Jury Prize at
Sundance Film Festival 2014.

Nominated for Best Picture & Adapted

Screenplay at the Oscars while it won for
Editing, Sound and Best Supporting Actor
for J.K. Simmons.

Social Contexts
Upon release, Whiplash divided the jazz community.

Some said it was a realistic representation of the obsessive dedication and the
mental/physical endurance required to make great art.

Others felt it misrepresented Jazz, musicians, and other artists. They pointed out
that Neiman didn’t possess the passion and inspiration that other films about artists
manage to capture – Andrew is more obsessed with his technique.

Critics also disagreed about

whether the film condones
Fletcher’s ‘method’
In many scenes he appears to
be a bully/sadist as he
humiliates and physically
assaults his students – his
judgement is unfair and
vindictive.

The jazz club key sequence seems of offer rationale for his behaviour but his
revenge in the finale undermines this.

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 Whiplash – Key Learning: Specialist Writing

Option A – Finding The Frame (Mercado, 2010)

[Adapted from The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and breaking) the rules of cinematic
composition (pp.1-3) by Gustavo Mercado, 2010, Focal Press]

A key convention of visual

storytelling is that anything and
everything that is included in
the composition or frame of a
shot is there for a specific
purpose. This is necessary for an
audience to understand the
story they are watching.

The framing of a shot conveys

meaning through the
arrangement of visual elements.
These include camera distance
and angle, what should be
included and excluded from the
frame and which elements
should dominate. These
elements then create the
meaning to be conveyed by the
shot. The process is called
'composition'.

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A strategy to
decoding the meaning
of a composition or
frame is to identify the
themes and ideas that
lie at the heart of the
film; its essence; its
core ideas. Effective
stories have strong
core ideas that add
emotional depth,
allowing the audience
to connect with the
film. For example
Rocky (1976) tells the
story of one man's
fight for the boxing
heavyweight
championship, only this isn’t what the story is about. Rocky is about one man's
struggle to 'be somebody'; to gain self-respect and the respect of others. The
composition behind every
shot supports this theme.
For example, the
placement of the character
within the film matches his
journey towards self-
respect, so that he is
placed off centre in
unbalanced compositions
at the start of the film and
central to the frame or
larger within the frame as
he becomes stronger and
more confident.

“Every shot counts no

matter
how inconsequential it
may seem”

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 Option B – What Makes A Film Independent? (Murray, 2011)

Independent cinema can

be, and has been,
defined as something
that strays artistically
from the norm. As Geoff
King defines it "industrial
factors are important, but
do not provide the only
grounds for definition of the particular varieties of film-making to which the label
independent has most prominently been attached in recent decades".

Arguably for example,

independent cinema
does not need to adhere
to generic patterns since
it is not expected to
deliver their certain
pleasures. In many
independent films, genre
is a more fluid concept.

Genre in mainstream cinema structures our expectation and provides us with

cinematic pleasures based on its 'repertoire of elements'. Genres are sold to us
(through the advance publicity) as a guaranteed set of pleasures – of narrative, of
visual style of set pieces, of stars. Independent cinema, as part of our definition
does not need to adhere to those guarantees because it has less of a need to
deliver a mass audience (albeit, as we saw above, the pressure to produce breakout
successes increased). Therefore, genre tropes and signifiers can be subverted to
challenge the ideologies contained implicitly within them. Similarly, narrative
expectations do not always need to be met.

Whiplash seems to fall into a number of different genres – it shares more

characteristics with War and Sports films rather than Musicals or films that celebrate
music which tend to have a lighter, joyous tone.

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 The audience for independent cinema specifically takes pleasure in these
disruptions of expected enjoyment to find a more subversive and oppositional
position outside of the norms. This can be part of an audience's wish to position
themselves by their consumption of products.

Against this is the

example (often
quoted) of
something like My
Big Fat Greek
Wedding (2002).
Defined purely by
its financing this is
an independent
film, yet it is often
quoted as an
example of how a
purely economic
definition draws in
a mainstream
narrative and genre. It is institutionally an independent production, but it is
'spiritually' and structurally a piece of mainstream cinema. Without wanting to
denigrate its achievement and the genuine commercial leap of faith films like this
take (especially casting the writer, Nia Vardalos, rather than a Hollywood performer
to take the lead). American independent cinema, therefore, is defined for our
purposes as a form of cinema that may usually be financed outside of the studio
system, but which generally challenges this cinematic form artistically and looks to
create something individual in either its aesthetics or its ideological viewpoint, or
both.

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 Option C – Whiplash, Men & Masculinity (Beasley, 2015)

Much was made in the media about the

noticeable maleness of the Academy
Awards this year. Not a single woman was
nominated for either Best Director or
Screenplay. But more than that, the
Oscars 2015 was dominated by films
about men and about masculinity itself.

Damien Chazelle’s exhilarating drama

Whiplash tells the story of Andrew (Miles
Teller) as he struggles to become the lead
drummer in his music school’s decorated
jazz band, run by tyrannical musician
Fletcher (JK Simmons). Andrew practises
hard and knows he’s pretty good, but he
needs to be validated. His mother left
when he was young, so Andrew has been
brought up without a female figure in his
life. He craves approval, but has a
somewhat sterile relationship with his
father, who doesn’t seem to understand what Andrew is doing. The notion of being approved by
Fletcher – a recognised alpha male – excites Andrew to the degree that he is prepared to do just
about anything.

Fletcher represents everything that Andrew

idealises. He’s a whirlwind of acid-tongued
testosterone and is 100% sure of his talent.
Fletcher doesn’t need validation from
anyone because he sits at the top of the
food chain – both in terms of music and
masculinity. Even Fletcher’s appearance is
one of masculine performance. He is
stripped down, in terms of his shaven head
and his plain black clothing, with no sort of flourish upon his body. For Fletcher, there’s no need
for the kind of style-conscious appearance so favoured by the modern “metrosexual” man.
Notably, Andrew is a baby faced youngster who seems unkempt in appearance. He doesn’t have
the same focus as Fletcher.

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Andrew’s acceptance into Fletcher’s band
early on in Whiplash marks, in his view, his
seat at the table of masculinity. It is
significant that merely being a member of
the band transforms Andrew from a distant
loner to the arrogant man who
immediately attempts to enter into a
relationship with Nicole (Melissa Benoist).
Andrew believes that being in a relationship is a part of his duty as a man and so he simply asks
for a date from the only girl he ever meets – the box office girl at the cinema he regularly visits.

Nicole is nothing but lovely to Andrew.

However, he decides to give her the chop
when he realises that she impedes his
path to success. For Andrew, his first real
female connection is nothing more than a
distraction from his work at winning the
approval of the uber-macho Fletcher.
When he realises that his relationship with
Nicole is an inessential part of his masculine performance, he sees no reason to keep it going. For
Andrew, it was never about love – or even lust.

Critics have bemoaned the underwritten nature of Nicole’s role in Whiplash and it is irksome in
such a male-dominated awards year, but her character in the film is a reflection of how the
protagonist sees her. For Andrew, just like every other kind of human connection, she’s barely a
human being and merely a utility on his path to masculine utopia.

Masculinity becomes a performance

and a competition between two
figures battling to out-alpha the other
is the film’s finale. In an attempt at
revenge for Andrew making a
complaint about Fletcher’s treatment,
the latter sets him up for a fall at an
important concert. After initially
fleeing the stage, Andrew returns and
defiantly leads the band himself,
defying Fletcher’s authority and
indeed his masculinity. The final
sequence focuses on how masculine
conflict can turn abruptly into magic -
the two men go from full-blooded war to grudging respect in the space of a single scene.
Andrew finally succeeds in earning the respect of Fletcher by beating him at his own game. He
proves that he can hold his own in a masculine arena by taking on the alpha. In that scene,
Andrew finally succeeds in achieving his own personal masculine utopia.

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Intro: In Beasley’s article, he raises valid points that women (specifically Nicole) are underwritten in the
film. The main, overarching point of the article is that the film plays out more like a battle of/for masculinity
between student Andrew and his teacher/idol Fletcher.
This point is supported in the film by…
Conclusion: The final sequence focusses on how masculine conflict can turn abruptly into magic – the two
men go from full blooded war to mutual respect in the space of a single scene.
The film’s finale is the time where the original Alpha Male (Fletcher) puts himself and his reputation on the
line to deliberately sabotage Andrew/Andrew’s career. This scene is Andrew’s ultimate test and one he
surpasses through the change in his character. But is that what Fletcher wanted all along?

34
Whiplash – Example Questions

35
 District 9 was released in 2009.

District 9 utilises both handheld camera and found footage

techniques at the start of the film to create a sense of realism,
making the audience believe what they are seeing is true.

However, the film abandons this later and resorts to using more
standard ways of film production. Consider why this may be
whilst we watch the film.

36
 District 9 – Contexts

Social Contexts – Representation Of The ‘Other’

The basis of many science fiction films is the conflict between the ‘self’ (humans)
and ‘other’(aliens).

Most early sci-fi/horror films have very simplistic narratives in which humans fight an
alien ‘other’, identifiable by its strange appearance, behaviour or values.

Usually the humans defeat the ‘other’ and reassert the ‘self’ that the audience can
identify with. District 9 problematises this relationship.

Though at first the ‘Prawns’ do seem completely alien in their appearance, with
disgusting habits and incomprehensible language, we are soon encouraged to
empathise with Christopher and his son.

After Wikus is infected,

he begins to literally
turn into the ‘other’.
Aliens infecting and
transforming a human
is a typical convention
of the horror genre.

Yet, as an audience,
we don’t fear him-
instead, despite his
mutated appearance,
he becomes our point of identification and an unlikely hero.

In fact, as Wikus’ transformation continues, he becomes more heroic: first he

escapes the lab, and then he bravely joins Christopher in an assault on MNU, and
finally sacrifices himself so that Christopher and his son can escape.

At the same time, the other humans become more and more inhumane: the
revelation of the labs where they experiment on the aliens and the single-minded
pursuit of Wikus by Venter are good examples.

37
Cultural Contexts
Xenophobia - Dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.
Social Segregation - The separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by
enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area.

Historical Contexts
The treatment of the aliens is an obvious metaphor for the South African ‘apartheid’
system that functioned between 1948 and 1991.

This was a system of racial segregation and discrimination that treated black Africans as a
lower class and prevented them from mixing with white South Africans socially or publicly.
It also prevented black people from
accessing housing, employment or
educational opportunities.
Between 1960 and 1983 over 3.5 million
non-white South Africans were forced to
leave their homes and were ‘resettled’ in
segregated neighbourhoods where poverty
and crime were rife.
One of the most famous was the
‘resettlement’ of 60,000 non-white people
from the Sophiatown area of Johannesburg
(where District 9 is set). In the early hours of
Feb 9th 1955, heavily armed police began
forcibly evicting people, bulldozing their
homes and moving their belongings 19km
away to what would later become the
township of Soweto. It is this event that the
start of the film is heavily referencing.

One of the first legal acts of apartheid was to forbid marriage between black and white
South Africans, and sexual contact between them was considered a taboo - this is
referenced in the smear campaign accusing Wikus of contracting his infection from sex
with the aliens.
The name District 9 is also a reference to an area called District 6 near Cape Town that
was also the scene of a mass ‘resettlement’ in the 1960s.

One of the main languages of those dwelling there was Xhosa, which incorporates many
vocal ‘clicks’, similar to the aliens in the film. The ‘Humans Only’ signs used to promote
the film are also a reference to the ‘Whites Only’ signs from the apartheid era.

38
District 9 – Key Learning: Narrative

39
In District 9, as in many films, there are various stories
happening.
• One story, is about the arrival of the aliens and their
removal from District 9 20 years later.

• Another story is about what happened when Wikus is

infected with alien liquid.

• There is also a story about MNU trying to procure

alien technology.

Enigma Codes
The enigma is a useful narrative device to keep the reader interested by whetting
his/her appetite to find out more.
The narrative will establish
enigmas or mysteries as it goes
along. Essentially the narrative
functions to establish and then
solve these mysteries.
Enigmas are very common in
thrillers and horrors whereby
the victim is trying to solve the
murders or figuring out why the
mayhem is occurring or who the
villain is.
Narrative devices used to raise questions in the audience’s mind and compel them
to continue watching the film.

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is

to come later in the story. Foreshadowing often appears at the beginning of a
story, or a chapter, and it helps the reader develop expectations about the
upcoming events. In this respect, foreshadowing is similar, but crucially NOT the
same as cause and effect.

Chekov's Gun is a dramatic principle that states that every element in a story must
be necessary, and irrelevant elements should be removed. Elements should not
appear to make "false promises" by never coming into play. If it gets mentioned,
we'll come back to it!

40
 District 9 – Film Form & Sequences

Opening Wikus Finds The Fluid Ending

Opening
The camera style in this section is like a collage of different
reportage (i.e. non-fiction) styles. It begins with the form of a
corporate video. This is Wikus’ introduction - which also
establishes him as dedicated to his job, if a little too
bumbling to be a conventional hero. The style then swaps
between expert/ eyewitness ‘pieces to camera’, ‘found
footage’ (of the entry to the alien ship), news clips, amateur
shots of the ship, and ‘vox pops’ with civilians. These serve
to fill in the back-story and establish the ‘alternate history’ that the film is set in. The clips of interviews with
Wikus’ family and colleagues also create ‘enigmas’ about what will befall him later (Narrative).

A number of features are used to establish the film as a

‘mockumentary’: the MNU logo in the corner (which also
establishes that the corporation has their own version of
events, different to Wikus’ experience later in the film), the
‘by-lines’ for the experts. All the different film formats are
assembled as if this is a documentary that has been made
after the events in the plot, and manage to both efficiently
orient the viewer and create verisimilitude (the feeling of
‘truth’).

The mise-en-scène, combined with shooting style and dialogue, creates a range of different emotional
reactions. We begin with the bland corporate set of Wikus’ office and backdrops of the experts that
establish their jobs (TV screens, academic book shelf), but then shift to the spectacular (the saucer
hovering Johannesburg). From there the ‘look’ of the film shifts to the increasingly squalid.

The interior of the ship is familiar from other sci-fi films - particularly
Aliens (1986): darkness punctured by the beams of human torches, alien
symbols, slime - and this creates a sense of threat. However, when they
appear, the beings themselves are not scary but pathetic, diseased and
vulnerable.

41
We then see them in the aid camps - drifting smoke, barbed wire,
makeshift tents - and our emotions shift from pity to disgust (images of
them squabbling, hacking at cow meat etc.) Following on, there are a
series of ‘Humans Only’ signs, showing how the public opinion has shifted
against the ‘Prawns’. These images link to South Africa’s past (Historical
Context). They also have contemporary resonance, being reminiscent of
the refugee camps in Europe we see on news items about the ongoing
migration crisis.

Finding The Fluid

The squalid conditions of the camp take on a different
dimension in this sequence. Christopher, with his son and
friend, is rummaging in a pile of trash; but rather than
desperately searching for food, they are in fact looking for
valuable technology.

In this sequence we cut between the ‘mockumentary’ and

‘narrative drama’ styles to show us the alien and human
perspective on events. As Wikus transforms, there are
more and more scenes shot in the latter style, but there are still ‘mockumentary’ elements intercut to show
the ‘official’ (i.e. MNU) version of events.

As we are introduced to the alien characters - Christopher and his son - the camerawork changes. Instead
of ‘mockumentary’, the cinematography becomes the more familiar style of ‘narrative drama’ featuring MS,
CU and POV shots that encourage us to empathise with them. However, the ‘human’ perspective is still
shot using handheld or security footage at this point, symbolising Wikus’ allegiance to MNU.

Wikus’ direct-to-camera dialogue shows that though he

isn’t a typical hero, he is dedicated to his job. He may be
prejudiced against the ‘Prawns’ but he is knowledgeable
about their behaviour and can understand their language.
There is very quiet music during the scenes focusing on
the aliens, which encourages us to empathise with them. In
addition, when Wikus is sprayed with the fluid, there is a
high-pitched whine that initially sounds like feedback on
the ‘documentary’ camera following him - but which later
intensifies each time his mutation progresses.

As the film - and his mutation - progresses, his scenes are increasingly shot the same way as the aliens in
this sequence. The ‘documentary’ feel is further enhanced by Wikus’ spittle and the hand placed over the
lens. This ‘lens splatter’ effect is also used later during battle scenes to intensify the immersive quality of
these action sequences.

The fluid represents the narrative convention of ‘The Elixir’ a potion or object with magical properties that
can aid the hero or repair the disruption.

42
District 9 – Example Questions

43
 Tsotsi was released in 2005.

Based on a novel from the 1950s, the original story of Tsotsi was
set at the height of apartheid.

The film, however, is set in a more contemporary, recent, post-

apartheid South Africa.

‘Tsotsi’ means ‘thug’ in one of the films native languages.

44
 Tsotsi – Contexts
Social Contexts
Set in contemporary South Africa, in the township of
Soweto, where post-Apartheid survival is still a fraught
process for many South Africans, who struggle to get
out of poverty.
The stereotypical representation here is not specifically
South African, despite the culturally specific term.
The urban black violent criminal posing a threat to the
comfortably wealthy is familiar from films of many
contexts including Hollywood and the UK.
The co-existence of poverty and affluence in modern
day South Africa, symbolised effectively by the gate
with which the Dube’s attempt to protect themselves
from people like Tsotsi but which John Dube opens at
the end as he calls Tsotsi ‘brother’.
The theme of ‘decency’ and the exploration of the
roles of mothers and fathers as carers.

Historical Contexts
The original story (in the novel) of Tsotsi was set in the late 1950s, at the height of apartheid.
The film, however, is set in a post-apartheid South Africa which allows it to represent themes that
are common to many black people around the world – themes that have expressed themselves in
the recent ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in the USA and elsewhere.
It is nevertheless a film born of the history of Africa and more specifically South Africa.

Themes & Issues

Decency: Key theme throughout-someone having respect for themselves and others.

Crime: Often seen as a way of life or potentially a way out of poverty; aspirational.

Family: Seen as aspirational for many; only the Dubes are seen as a family-everyone else is
searching for or longing for family.

Responsibility: Many do not take responsibility for their actions; when Tsotsi does he changes and
becomes more mature and responsible.

Redemption: Tsotsi tries to redeem himself by putting right the things he has done wrong-there
is a suggestion that others doing the same would be beneficial for them and others.

Apartheid: Segregation still exists, especially between the impoverished and affluent-seen
perhaps best in the Dube’s gated house

45
 Tsotsi – Key Learning: Representation
Tsotsi
• Protagonist: The eponymous character and the one who, arguably,
shows the most growth and reflects the themes the most clearly.
• Runs away from home after he is left with his abusive father due to
his mother dying from an undefined disease (but heavily hinted at
being AIDS).
• As a young child David lives with other homeless children in
construction pipes.
• Gangster. Seen in his clothing and violence, especially in the first
scenes.
• Gang leader. In positioning in frame and in body language.
• Teenager. His naivety and his inability to drive, his clothing and through use of the Kwaito music,
similar to that of hip-hop, synonymous with youth culture around the world.
• Impoverished (made poor) majority. Mise-en-scene of his shack.

Miriam
• Mother to a young child.
• Shows her kindness by offering to look after the child when Tsotsi
visits for a second time. Is, in many ways, a surrogate mother for
Tsotsi too, and reflective of the key theme of decency.
• Whilst Miriam is the only single mother we see in the film, she is
clearly one of many in the township.
• Resourceful. Her ability to make mobiles and other items to make
money shows how she can take rubbish and turn it into money to
help herself and her baby.
• Homemaker. In contrast to Tsotsi’s home, Miriam shows her ability to create a warm and happy
environment that is self for her baby.

Boston
• Seen from the beginning of the film as somewhat of an outsider of
the group.
• He appears to be an alcoholic and the reasons for his addiction
seem to stem from his social situation and a way to cope with his
life in the gang and life of crime.
• Is, from the beginning, referred to as ‘Teacher Boy’, though was
never actually a teacher.
• Fights with Tsotsi over the murder of the man at the start of the film and is another catalyst for
Tsotsi’s change after his is beaten to near-death by the protagonist.
• Often the voice of reason.. DECENCY!!

Butcher
• Antagonist. The closest the film has to a traditional antagonist,
given his violent nature which often creates issues for the gang.
• He is the one who kills the man on the train and therefore shows
how prone he is to violence.
• He seems to enjoy violence and killing-his first choice in any scene
involving crime seems to be to choose violence and specifically,
killing.
• In some ways he is the version of who Tsotsi could be if he were to not change his ways.
46
The gang/criminals.
• Gangsters. Clothing and body language, especially in their treatment and actions towards others.
Use of Kwaito music at the beginning of the film; it’s similarity to hip-
hop draws parallels with generalisation of American gang culture.
• Teenagers. Again portrayed through use of mise-en-scene and
sound.
• Lost/orphaned children. Without guardians other than perhaps Fela,
the concrete tubes and the dramatic use of the AIDS poster suggest
these people have no parents and/or role model other than the
criminal leaders they cling to for help and support.
• Uneducated. They have no plans/future and every choice they make
is criminal in intent.

The people of the township.

• Impoverished but resourceful. Soekie’s bar, the water pump, the
colourful shacks, Miriam’s mobiles; all symbols of people who suffer
with impoverished conditions but people still show their
resourcefulness and creativity. In theory, the majority of people living
in South Africa should now have a say in democracy and a chance to
live a fuller life, but are institutionalised in the townships such as this
one.

The Police.
• Incompetent. The police don’t manage to solve the crime or find baby David, but their excuse is
valid-the township is very large.
• Aggressive. Their treatment of everyone aside from the Dubes is very aggressive; they resort to
intimidation and aggression instead of being able to solve the crime through competence.
• Post-Apartheid. In having policemen who are black and white, the idea of Post-Apartheid South
Africa and a move towards equality is seen. However, Captain Smit still takes charge and orders
Sergeant Zuma around.

Pumla and John Dube

• “Nouveau riche”. Meaning, newly rich. In the
last 50 years black people would not be in the
financial position that the Dubes are. For this
reason, they represent a type of people and
family who are able to be ‘rich’ for the first time.
• Affluent. Clearly the Dubes are well off, they live
in a large, gated home and drive expensive,
executive cars.

47
 Tsotsi – Film Form & Sequences

Opening Tsotsi Intimidates Morris Ending

Opening
The opening sequence wastes no time in introducing us to the characters and their relationships. We
see a series of close ups of Aap, Butcher and Boston’s hands as they gamble with money and dice,
which could indicate the themes of luck, fate and destiny.
In the opening shots Tsotsi is shown separate from his gang as they play the dice game in his (very
basic) house. As he looks out of the window perhaps he is already longing for a better and different
life. He walks in front of them through the township – as the leader.
We also see a close up of the bradawl which could suggest the potential for violence and the slow
motion shot of the dice signals the stylised filmmaking as well as the theme.
As the gang walk through the township the camera’s dollying is motivated by movement of Tsotsi as
close ups pick him out from the group. He is also favoured by point of view shots of the other young
gangsters to whom he gestures.
The transition from the township to the city is marked by notably different colour palettes (reddish
brown becomes grey blue) as well as levels of development. The huge HIV/Aids poster which dwarfs
them in the station is worth noting though.
During the stake out we see Tsotsi’s point of view of several victims before he concentrates on one
we get tighter shots of.
The ‘Kwaito’ music that begins as they leave provides energy and a contemporary feel as a hybrid
between familiar black urban music and an indigenous South African sound.
Facial expressions during and after the murder give a clear indication of the different characters.
Butcher looks in to the eyes of the victim, showing no remorse, while Aap looks at the others for some
indication as to how to react and Boston is shocked and sickened. Tsotsi is harder to read, alternating
between a stony impassive expression and occasional looks of fear.

Tsotsi Intimidates Morris

Following old man - goes after him because he’s been disrespected, that’s his instinct and gut
reaction but actually he’s become interested in human nature since he stole the baby. Wants to know
more but lacks the social interaction skills needed to inquire/hold a conversation with someone. This
is likely due to his upbringing.

General
Tsotsi’s shack is a candle lit and much more peaceful place than it was in the opening sequence.
We are looking into Tsotsi’s home rather than out of it as before and a stream of light from outside
falls on Tsotsi and the baby, linking them in the frame as he puts the baby down on his bed.
The half lit nature of Tsotsi’s face as he watches the baby settle suggests the two sides of his
character, which are battling with each other.

48
Tsotsi – Example Questions

49
 Skyfall was released in 2012.

Directed by Sam Mendes, Skyfall is the 23rd James Bond film and
the third starring Daniel Craig.

The release of the film coincided with the franchise’s 50th

anniversary.

The film was a huge success, some referring to it as a return to

form for the series and it grossed $1.109 Billion worldwide
50
 Skyfall – Contexts
Production
Sam Mendes was approached to direct Skyfall after the release of Quantum of Solace in 2008.
Development was suspended when MGM ran into financial trouble, and did not resume until MGM
emerged from bankruptcy in December 2010; meanwhile the original screenwriter, Peter Morgan, left the
project. When production resumed, Logan, Purvis, and Wade continued writing what became the final
version. Filming began in November 2011, primarily in the United Kingdom, with smaller portions shot in
China and Turkey.

Skyfall was very well received by critics and won several accolades, including two Academy Awards, two
BAFTA Awards, and two Grammy Awards. It was the fourteenth film to gross over $1 billion worldwide,
and the only James Bond film to do so. It became the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time, the
highest-grossing film in the UK, the highest-grossing film in the series, the highest-grossing film worldwide
for both Sony Pictures and MGM, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2012.

Social Contexts - Representation of age & tradition vs youth & modernity.

A core theme of the film is whether Bond, M and their agency is ‘out of step’ with the more technological
threats of the modern world. In Judi Dench’s first film as M, she branded Bond a ‘dinosaur’ – are they now
powerless to the point of incompetence?

This theme is made explicit when Bond

meets the new, youthful Q in the National
Gallery and they interpret a Turner painting
differently. Q sees a “once great ship towed
to the junkyard”, whilst 007 ignores
complexity and nuance: “I just see a bloody
great big ship”.

Is his blunter, straightforward approach what

is needed to defend against the ‘new breed’
of cyber-criminal? Arguably, Bond’s
response is straight to the point and, perhaps, reflective of the old style British stiff upper lip whereas Q is
younger and more ‘metaphorical’ Could this be reflective of the filmmakers acknowledging that, yes, Bond
is ‘50’ but needs to strike a balance of old school sensibility and new tech states of mind?

Historical Contexts
In Skyfall, the references to Bond’s past haunting the present becomes
a source of danger (Silva) and power: his Walther PPK gun, the Aston
Martin, with the Skyfall estate of his childhood a fresh element that
provides back-story.

Skyfall is like two other successful franchises that were ‘re-booted’

around the same time: Batman (in Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy) and
Star Trek.

All three take familiar characters that have grown almost comical, and
add depth, humanity, and darker, more complex themes. They also
cleverly balance fresh perspectives and elements with iconography
that is familiar to fans.

51
 Skyfall – Key Learning: Aesthetics

Skyfall is an accomplished fusion of character, theme, and visual style. Though the
cinematography and production design is striking, it is more than just ‘style over
substance’.

There are three key visual motifs throughout:

1. Blue (Cold) & Orange (Warm) Colour Scheme (introduced in Casino Royale)
2. Mirrors, doubles & reflections
3. Bond (or M) in the centre

Blue (Cold) & Orange (Warm) Colour Scheme

A blue/orange colour scheme that symbolises
the thematic conflict between the new, digital
technology and the ‘old school’ espionage of
chases, fisticuffs and gunfights.

Electric blues (especially in the Shanghai

scenes) represent the ‘virtual’ power of
technology, bright, shiny but intangible and
distracting.

Orange/brown symbolises the tangible (if

physically dangerous) ‘dirty realism’ of the
solid world that Bond is expert at
negotiating.

Blue = modern, new, digital technology,

virtuality – cold & faceless – to Bond’s
distaste.

Orange = physicality, tradition, old fashioned

spycraft – warmer – More to Bond’s
preference.

52
Mirrors, doubles & reflections

The symmetrical composition of many

shots, and use of actual reflections,
symbolise two things: the way the ‘actual’
and ‘virtual’ worlds are connected; and
the connection between Silva and Bond.

Both are agents who “overstep the

mark”, both have been ‘betrayed’ by M in
the service of their country. Like Batman
and the Joker in The Dark Knight, they
are two sides of the same coin.

Bond (or M) in the centre

The consistent framing of shots that

places Bond (or M) at the centre
establishes them as a stable,
dependable presence in a
changing, chaotic world, reassuring
the audience of their relevance.

The second to last scene of Bond

staring out over London suggests
he is a champion and protector of
Britain (a shot familiar from
superhero films). The presence of
other national flags flying above
their embassies suggests he is also
a protector of the whole world.

53
 Skyfall – Film Form & Sequences

Opening Shanghai Silva’s Lair

Opening
Cinematography
Skyfall opens unusually for a Bond film - Instead of the ‘roaming circle’ ident, there is just the silhouette of a
figure, out-of-focus; he strides forward, into focus, but with only a patch of light illuminating part of his face.
The shot composition is symmetrical, with Bond in the centre - this is a motif repeated throughout the film.
Mostly typical - but very effective
- mix of whole range of shots and angles: CU/ MS/POV used to emotionally engage us and immerse us in
the action;
- LS, ELS and helicopter shots used to show larger scale action and produce a sense of spectacle.
Additionally, Roger Deakins, the cinematographer, uses kinetic camera movement to follow the action, but
keeps the camera steady (cf. to the ‘jerky-cam’ of the Bourne series) which suggests that Bond is in control of
the situation despite the chaos the chase creates.
All the elements of the generic chase sequence are thrown into the mix here: chases on foot, car, bike and
train; with bystanders dodging the carnage, other vehicles crashing, windows to crash through, bridges and
rooftops to fall off - all adding to the sense of danger.
The London HQ has large screens and computer monitors that surveil the action from afar. The colour palettes
used in the two locations are contrasting: oranges, browns, dirty/dusty, chaotic and crowded in Istanbul vs. cold
navy blues and pale washed-out colours for London, connoting relative calm.

Editing
Cutting between shots that create a spectacle - LS, ELS, helicopter shots (esp. during rooftop bike chase) - and
those that create a sense of immersion: MS, CU and POV.
This introduces the core theme that no matter how advanced surveillance technology we have, there is still a
need for ‘field agents’ to do the more traditional chasing, shooting and fighting.
Cross-cutting: Between Istanbul and London (to show Bond is both being assisted by technology, and that he’s
being held accountable by higher authority); and between Bond, London and Eve (in the jeep) once the bike
chase begins.

Silva’s Lair
Cinematography
LS used to show the scale of Silva’s island lair - but also to show the wrecked, crumbling architecture. Shots are
composed so that Bond is always in lower centre of the screen. His central position throughout the film
suggests stability, solidity and sense of control even when seemingly overwhelmed by elements in the rest of
the shot.
When Silva enters: a single shot of him approaching Bond (and us) – mirroring the entrance of Bond in the
opening shot of the film (small, indistinct figure, striding into view).
As he gets closer, the camera moves to meet him, eventually becoming Bond’s POV. The movement reduces
the distance between them and the proximity creates danger, but also queasy intimacy (suggesting the two
characters aren’t that different).

54
Skyfall – Example Questions

55
 Revision Podcasts (Audio Only)

Rebel Without A Cause Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Whiplash

Required Learning Required Learning Required Learning

District 9 Tsotsi Skyfall

Required Learning Required Learning Required Learning

Revision On YouTube

Rebel Without A Cause Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Whiplash

Required Learning Required Learning Required Learning

District 9 Tsotsi Skyfall

Required Learning Required Learning Required Learning

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 District 9
Identify Describe
Clearly see Wikus’ fully
Close of Wikus’ eye in the transformed eye which is
Camera
final scenes of the film. yellow and bigger than his
other eye.
Opening scenes made to look
Found Footage/Reportage ‘real’ by replicating CCTV
Editing
style of shooting. footage, home video and
news reports.
Sounds like the native
Diegetic ‘clicks’ spoken by the languages spoken in South
Sound
aliens/prawns Africa. Differentiates Humans
& Prawns.
Wikus’ office attire of a Plain clothing, formal and
Costume
sweater vest and shirt. smart. Nothing fancy.
A dark canister containing a
The alien fluid found by black fluid that sprays over
Prop
Wikus. Wikus, almost as a defence
mechanism.
The impromptu
neighbourhood where MNU
Setting District 9.
have housed the aliens in
rundown shacks.
Genre conventions such as
Aliens, Spaceships, Invasions
Genre Sci-Fi.
& Futuristic Technology are all
present.
Bumbling, insecure and happy
to be there. Changes
Character Wikus.
throughout the film, becomes
more humane.
Tsotsi
Identify Describe
Makes Tsotsi look
Low angle shots of Tsotsi
intimidating, a threat to
walking through town.
others.
After Tsotsi runs from Soekie’s
Cross cutting of flashbacks to Bar, we see shots of a
Tsotsi’s past. younger version of him
running in the same direction.
Links to the context of the film
The non-diegetic Kwaito and represents the
soundtrack. youth/urban atmosphere
being reflected.
Makes her stand out amongst
the drab and dull colour
Miriam’s bright orange dress.
palette of the town and links
to her personality.
Miriam tells Tsotsi that the
colour of the mobiles reflects
Miriam’s mobiles.
how she’s feeling. Bright ones
= happy. Rusted = Sad.
Poverty ridden town. Made up
of rusted shacks and dirt
Soweto.
roads. A sole water pump is
the town’s busiest spot.
The film features generic
conventions such as theft, gun
Crime. violence and gang violence. It
is inspired by similar films
from Hollywood.
Seemingly mysterious, quiet,
and reserved. Aggressive
Tsotsi.
when needed but seems out
of his depth.
Skyfall
Identify
Close up shots of Bond
reacting to the therapist
saying ‘Skyfall’
Cross cutting in the opening
scene between Bond &
Patrice.
Non diegetic score used to
establish new locations.
James Bond’s Suits.
The Walther PPK Gun.
Shanghai.
Spy.
James Bond.
Describe
The purpose of a close-up is to
show smaller detail that might
be missed in other shots. We
need to see Bond’s shocked
reaction in this scene.
The purpose of cross cutting
is to establish a relationship
between two shots. We
understand that Bond is
chasing Patrice.
When Bond arrives in Shanghai
and Macau, there is a slightly
different musical motif used to
establish the difference in the
settings.
The suits worn in the film can
symbolise Bond’s
professionalism whilst linking to
wealth. He and Silva wear
contrasting colours.
The gun throws back to
Franchise’s past but includes a
new technological advancement
(palm print) to link to the theme
of modernity.
The use of Shanghai as a
location links to Bond’s
globetrotting espionage thus
reflecting his work as a secret
agent.
The Bond films, like Bourne &
Mission Impossible, have
become a genre whilst
combining conventions from the
action and thriller genres.
The main character and focus
of our attention/the narrative.
Methodical and diligent,
serves his country with the
upmost respect.
 Rebel
Identify Describe
The tilt on the stairs signifies
the imbalance in Jim’s life.
Dutch tilt on the stairs during
Camera He’s caught between his
the family argument.
parents literally &
metaphorically.
The edit in this scene creates
Cross cutting in the chickie a spatial relationship between
Editing
run scene. Jim and Buzz, creating tension
before the crash.
The score sets the tone for
The melodramatic non the rest of the film, its
Sound diegetic score at the start of dramatic and orchestral which
the film. links back to the time in which
the film was made.
Jim’s jacket links to the
context surrounding the film
Costume Jim’s red jacket. (red scare) as well as being an
obvious visual target on his
back.
Plato’s gun = unpredictable
danger. Usually quiet and
Prop Plato’s gun. unassuming, as soon as he is
hard done by, he reaches for a
tool for murder.
Jim’s family home shows the
typical 1950’s dynamic with a
Setting Jim’s home.
TV (wealth) and muted
decorations.
Typical of films made in the
50’s, Rebel is a melodrama
Genre Drama.
looking to comment on
societal issues of the time.
Jim is a confused teenager who
doesn’t know who to trust. His
Character Jim Stark. fractured relationship with his
parents and turns to trouble to
deal with frustrations.
Ferris
Identify
Low angle looking up at Ferris
opening his curtains.
The fast-paced editing in the
Parade scene.
The diegetic sound of Ferris
singing Twist and Shout.
Ferris’ choice of costumes in
the opening scene.
The Ferrari in the film is a piece
economic boom in America and
Cameron’s Dad’s Ferrari.
Cameron’s relationship with his
Ferris’ Bedroom.
Teenage Film.
sidekick. His motivations steer
Cameron.
Describe
This shot shows Ferris, like a
prince in a high tower,
admiring his surrounds and
basking in his success.
The Parade scene is edited and
shot like a music video. Linking
The fast-paced editing in the
to the MTV/80s contexts, it
features a popular song to
enhance the scene.
Linking to the MTV/80s
contexts, the use of a popular
song reflects the
commercialism of America’s
economic boom.
Ferris goes through multiple
costume changes in the
opening scene perhaps
signifying an indecisive or
impulsive nature.
of materialism linking to the
the symbol of neglect in
father.
Ferris’ bedroom is filled with
materialistic goods –
Computer, TV, Stereo. All
signifying Ferris being spoilt.
Ferris contains all the
expected conventions of a
Contains elements of multiple
Teenage Film including
school, teenagers, and
rebellion.
Cameron is the atypical
a lot of the emotion in the
film, and he has his own key
moment in the film.
Whiplash
Identify
The use of high and low
angles in the Finale scene.
rehearsal sequences.
The diegetic soundtrack
including Whiplash and
Caravan.
Fletcher’s pitch-black
costume.
Tanner’s lost music folder.
Andrew’s rehearsal space.
genres.
Fletcher.
Describe
The use of angles in the film’s
finale reflects the power
struggle between Andrew and
Fletcher. High = Inferior. Low
= Superior.
The rehearsal sequences are
shot and edited like a fight
scene or military exercise
reflecting Fletcher’s teaching
style.
The complicated nature of the
diegetic songs chosen by
Fletcher reflects his want &
need for his students to be the
very best.
Fletcher wears all black
clothing with no sort of
flourish on his body linking to
his no-nonsense persona.
The lost music folder (and
subsequent blame of Andrew)
links to the shift in power
between Andrew and Tanner.
Andrew’s choice of rehearsal
space is completely bare
allowing him to focus solely
on his drumming
technique/skill.
Whiplash blends generic
conventions from the musical,
war, drama, and thriller
genres to create its unique
tone.
Fletcher is a typical
antagonist. He is aggressive
and uber masculine. He is the
masculine goal for Andrew.