Thursday, 5 January 2017

How does the opening of Essex boys use metaphorical spaces to create meaning?


Image 1:




This shot enables the audience to question this characters freedom. The glazed over windows shot surrounding him and the entwined cobwebs suggest a claustrophobic position to be in, no clear direction or movement for the character. In other ways the shot could foreshadow his entrapment in future life, the life he will lead that we as viewers will follow. The side profile that the actor is shot at creates a sense of mystery still, we don't see his full facial feature nor where he is leading us. 


Image 2:




This image again connotes Billy's (the character in focus) entrapment. This can be suggested by the reflection of light on the windscreen, a prison bar like reflection off his face; a visual metaphor of criminality and foreshadowing this characters possible imprisonment. Although one character isn't it focus there is still a questionable power imbalance presented, this is by the foreground in focus character to be shown tensed up and concentrating on a job, whereas the male character in back is relaxed, with not a lot of care in the world, no reflection of bars across him particularly. 


Image 3:




This shot includes a very prominent on screen vanishing point whereby leads us to the set location of Essex. The emerging bleak grey colour palette displays the thought that Billy, a protagonist, is heading into a darker side to life, becoming the anti-hero, heading into a life of criminality and a bleak future. The lighting is low, blurry and dark to coincide with the darker colour palette, creating this overwhelming sense of darkness for both characters. 


Image 4:




In this image there is another on screen vanishing point, connoting that this mans life may never be over however the combination of the bleak lighting and colour palette can suggest it is not going to be enjoyable. The shot is very off balance and disorientating, as if the character is not only stuck in the marshes of Essex but trapped in a life of angles and diagonal lines that fill the screen.


From looking at this thriller opening I have noticed just how key disorientating camera angles are and colour palette of the location to reflect the mood of characters or to foreshadow the characters fate. 

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