Sunday, 27 January 2013

Social Realism Timeline.

1960's
Film: Kes

How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Education
  • Arguments
  • Class - working class and middle class
Recurring Characters
  • Teachers
  • Students
Settings & Locations
  • England
  • School
Sound
  • Diegetic
  • Dialogue
  • Accents
  • Foley sound
Camerawork/Editing
  • Continuity editing
  • Mid shots
  • Pan - left
Mise-en-scens
  • Dark uniforms
  • Colour design  - green, black and grey
Film: Poor Cow (Skip to 0:05:00 and watch to 0:07:00)


How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Race
  • Money
  • Gossiping old ladies
Recurring Characters
  • Mothers
  • Fathers
  • Old ladies
  • Babies
  • Children
Settings & Locations
  • Rural area
  • Village
  • Park
Sound
  • Voice over
  • cockney accent
  • Diegetic sound
  • Non-diegetic sound
  • Dialogue
Camerawork/Editing
  • Establishing shots
  • Pan left
  • Pan right
  • Long shots
Mise-en-scene
  • Long coats
  • Skirts just above the knee
  • Flat black shoes
1970's
Film: Quadraphenia (Skip to 0:38:00 and watch to 0:40:15)


How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Drugs
  • Gangs
  • Arguments
Recurring Characters
  • Father
  • Son
Settings & Locations
  • Alley way
  • Home
Sound
  • Diegetic
  • Dialogue
  • Cockney accent
  • Swearing - 'pissed'
Camerawork/Editing
  • Mid shots
  • Long shots
Mise-en-scene
  • Motorbike
  • Long coats
  • Vest tops
  • Alcohol - beer

1980's
Film: Made In Britain
How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Crime
  • Justice
Recurring Characters
  • Police officer
  • Judge
  • Criminal
Settings & Locations
  • Court
  • Britain
  • City (London)
Sound
  • Non-diegetic music - heavy metal
  • Diegetic
  • dialogue
Camerawork/Editing
  • Close-ups
  • Track
  • Long shots
Mise-en-scene
  • Tattoos
  • Jackets
  • Jeans
  • Tops
Film: Scum

How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Violence
Recurring Characters
  • Men - working class
Settings & Locations
  • Community club
Sound
  • Diegetic
  • Dialogue
  • Swearing - 'shithead' 'fucking' 'bastard'
Camerawork/Editing
  • Long shots
  • Mid shots
  • Track
  • Low angle
Mise-en-scene
  • Jackets
  • Tops
  • Trousers
1990's
Film: Trainspotting

How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Drugs
  • Football
  • Running away from authority - police
Recurring Characters
  • Men - working class
 Settings & Locations
  • Streets
  • Home
 Sound
  • Non diegetic
  • Voice over
  • Swearing - 'fuck/ing'
 Camerawork/Editing
  • Track
  • Long shots
  • Mid shots
  • Close-ups
 Mise-en-scene
  • Jeans
  • Trainers
  • Jackets
  • Tops
Film: Nil by Mouth

How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Adultery
  • Domestic violence
  • Unstable family
Recurring Characters
  • Mother/wife
  • Father/husband
  • Child/daughter
Settings & Locations
  • Home
Sound
  • Diegetic
  • Dialogue
  • Cockney accent
  • Swearing - 'fucking' 'cunt' 'rumping'
Camerawork/Editing
  • Close-ups
  • Long shots
  • Mid shots
  • High angle
Mise-en-scene
  • Cigarettes
  • Nightwear
2000's
Film: Kidulthood (Skip to 0:01:30 and watch to 0:03:30)

How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Violence
  • Corruption of youth
Recurring Characters
  • Teenage boys
  • Teenage girls
Settings & Locations
  • London
  • Council flats/estates
Sound
  • Diegetic
  • Dialogue
  • Informal/slang
  • Swearing 'fuck' 'shit'
Camerawork/Editing
  • Mid shots
  • Long shots
  • High angle
Mise-en-scene
  • Tracksuits
  • Hoodies
  • Trainers
  • Hats
  • Weed
Film: Bigga Than Ben

How are the conventions of British Social Realism portrayed?
Themes & Situations
  • Fraud
  • Theft
  • Violence
Recurring Characters
  • Men of varying ages
Settings & Locations
  • London
Sound
  • Non-diegetic
  • Voice over
  • Music
  • Sound effects
  • Diegetic
  • Dialogue
  • Foreign accent
Camerawork/Editing
  • Close ups
  • Mid shots
  • Long shots
  • High angles
Mise-en-scene
  • Beer
  • Cigarettes
  • Casual clothes

This British social realism timeline has made me realise how the content within this genre has changed over the years, more specifically from 1960 to the year 2000. I looked at nine films to see how the conventions of the British social realism genre have been demonstrated and what has changed over the years. I found that the social norms of society have changed over the years because, for example, in the first film 'Kes', the children showed some attitude but still had an element of respect for each other, their elders and authority figures. However, in 'Kidulthood' the teenagers openly swear and curse each other as a part of their everyday language, having little respect for each other. To them this is normal speech, where as to the children in 'Kes' this would have been absurd, abnormal and disrespectful. This social change means that, the narratives within this genre are becoming more and more explicit as they want to celebrate the mundane, failure and mediocrity of the working class Brits. Also in the older social realist films, the colour of the actual footage appeared to be much darker, this signified that they may not have had the technology to be able to control the contrast it, but in the more recent films their has been an advance in technology and they can now choose how they want it through the mise-en-scene in the colour design.

My definition of British social realism:

I define British social realism to be a genre that expresses the faults in the working class British society through film in the most explicit, sad and unambiguous way. This genre tries to make the audience aware of all of the issues that working class British people face, for example; poverty, domestic violence, abuse, neglect, an unstable family life etc. This genre usually uses continuity editing, real life locations and a gritty style of camerawork, this is all to add to the verisimilitude of the film. British social realist films usually contain a lot of foul, abusive language, violence and discrimination, these things also help add to the verisimilitude of the film.

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