The moving image extract incorporates numerous ways in which age is represented and shown.
In the first scene, there is a wide shot of lots of characters hard at work. The way in which age is shown through this is by portraying a large and physically fit team of people doing manual labour. In order to be able to carry out this work, the people must be of a certain, similar age.
Another way that age is represented in the first scene is the dark colours they are all wearing, matching the outdoor colour scheme. All of the clothes are similar which would suggest that perhaps all the people fall within the same rough age bracket.
The second scene is Amy and Ewan talking. Immediately it is obvious to the viewer that Amy is younger than everyone else and this is subtly pointed out to the viewer through the colour of her clothes - a bright yellow top and blue jeans. The bright colours could symbolise innocence, happiness and a lack of conformity; all of these things showing her young and carefree age.
However, it seems that Ewan and Amy are similar in age because of the over the shoulder shot used when Amy is speaking to Ewan. They are shown at the same level in terms of height and the knock on effect of this is that Ewan isn't towering over her or seeming in any way superior. The over the shoulder shot used is taken from behind Ewan, and their heights are again shown to be similar and her tone towards him in the dialogue is familiar. Amy seems close with Ewan as she says that she needs to talk to him about something. If he is someone she confides in, perhaps they are similar in age.
Then, Paul is shown as older and with more authority than them both when he arrives on the scene with an order for each of them. Also, his clothing is similar to that of the older people in the first scene. Paul assumes Amy is old enough to know how to drive and throws her the keys of his car, however Amy's stress in the car (that is documented with a close up of her face) as she tries to navigate which part is which, shows her age because she must be under the age of 17 if she doesn't even have the possibility of passing her driving test.
The part of the extract in which Paul throws they keys to Amy shows a reliance that Amy has on Paul. Literally, Amy can't go anywhere without Paul's help (him throwing her the keys) and this can be looked at metaphorically too. Again the sense of family and perhaps authority is reestablished. The way it is edited reinforces a reliance that Amy has on Paul when the clip of him holding the keys cuts to her catching them in a nervous, unconfident way. Her age is portrayed through her obvious need of Paul's help and support which we can read from her body language when catching the keys, instinct to lie about her ability to drive and her willingness to do as he tells her.
The cut from Amy standing alone holding the keys of the car that she doesn't know how to drive to Amy sitting in the car confused shows a definite vulnerability, lack of maturity and highlights her young age.
When Paul hears the car crash, his age is shown through his protective and concerned reaction to hearing a crash. He yells and drops the enormous hammer he was carrying, running straight in the direction Amy went. This reaction would suggest that he is around the age to be Amy's father or at least act as a father figure.
At the scene of the car crash, Edward Green is portrayed in an unpopular way, with Amy, Ewan, Paul and an older woman in one shot and Edward in another. His age is shown through his facial hair, his grey hair and his fairly formal clothing, on top of his job as a principle. He also speaks in a stricter but still concerned way to Amy, saying that he was 'worried sick'. This could show him to be in the same age range as a father to Amy. Amy's age is reinforced when all characters turn to her when the headmaster announces that she is sixteen. Not only is everyone taller than her and so looks down at her, her expression and the contrast in colour of her clothing reinforces this.
Just before the confrontation between Amy and Paul, the older woman who looks as though she could be the age of Amy's mother, is shown leaning down to be at Amy's level as she sits on a chair waiting for Paul. The concerned expression and body language as she leans down and holds Amy's arm show the age of the woman and portray her in a motherly way.
In the scene of the confrontation between Amy and Paul, the age difference and subsequent difference in authority that they hold is highlighted. There is an over the shoulder shot used, looking over Paul's shoulder. We see Amy looking up at Paul and this switches to a Point of View shot, from Amy's eye line so looking up at Paul. The confrontation seems like one between an arguing father and teenage daughter and in this way the ages of these two characters are reinforced. Eventually Paul snaps and says, 'go and pack.' This quick decision that he makes reinforces the fatherly and disciplinary personality he has been portrayed with throughout, showing his age.
The contrast in clothing colours between Amy and Paul and the older woman and the woman in the dark green coat that enters to tell Paul that, 'everyone is ready,' highlights the difference in age between the three, placing Paul and the woman in a similar age bracket and Amy in a separate, teenage one.
When Amy shouts, 'I hate you!' her lack of maturity and her frustration at being told to leave by Paul is obvious. This could be seen as typical behaviour for someone of her age who is being ordered around. The fact she does not try to converse with Paul but rather screams and runs out of the room is an obvious sign of her age.
The next scene is a group of people working outside again. Just as in the first scene, these people's ages are portrayed by them carrying heavy objects with ease and so are obviously physically strong.
In Amy's room, her age is shown when she leaves possessions of hers to 'Molly' and 'Cameron'. One of these possessions is a teddy bear, clearly showing that perhaps Amy is not as old as everyone though she was but is ready to leave it behind as she leaves. There are also objects typical to a teenage girl's bedroom such as magazines, fairy lights, bright colours and photos. Her age is shown through this clever use of mise en scene. The photo especially shows a sense of family and community between the Paul, Amy, the older woman and Ewan. The camera zooms onto the photo and pauses for effect on it. The characters places within a family structure are reestablished and with this, so are their ages.
The scene then cuts to outside her window and Amy has exited the room. The camera slowly rises up, showing the whole room. The older woman comes in, assumedly to check on Amy and make sure she is alright and ready to go. This again is a reinforcement of the maternal nature she has and the age she is in order to be a mother figure to Amy. When Amy isn't there she is concerns and runs to Paul.
The final scene is a wide shot again, showing lots of people again doing manual labour. An angry man who I assume is in his late 50s or around that, is portrayed with next to no authority. I assume he is this age because of his grey hair, beard and dark clothing. Paul is shown again as the stronger and more fatherly figure as he carries a heavy object that seems to be part of a fence really easily. This fatherly way in which Paul is represented reinforces his age throughout because while he may not be Amy's father he has the self assurance, experience and confidence to take charge of a group of people.
In the first scene, there is a wide shot of lots of characters hard at work. The way in which age is shown through this is by portraying a large and physically fit team of people doing manual labour. In order to be able to carry out this work, the people must be of a certain, similar age.
Another way that age is represented in the first scene is the dark colours they are all wearing, matching the outdoor colour scheme. All of the clothes are similar which would suggest that perhaps all the people fall within the same rough age bracket.
The second scene is Amy and Ewan talking. Immediately it is obvious to the viewer that Amy is younger than everyone else and this is subtly pointed out to the viewer through the colour of her clothes - a bright yellow top and blue jeans. The bright colours could symbolise innocence, happiness and a lack of conformity; all of these things showing her young and carefree age.
However, it seems that Ewan and Amy are similar in age because of the over the shoulder shot used when Amy is speaking to Ewan. They are shown at the same level in terms of height and the knock on effect of this is that Ewan isn't towering over her or seeming in any way superior. The over the shoulder shot used is taken from behind Ewan, and their heights are again shown to be similar and her tone towards him in the dialogue is familiar. Amy seems close with Ewan as she says that she needs to talk to him about something. If he is someone she confides in, perhaps they are similar in age.
Then, Paul is shown as older and with more authority than them both when he arrives on the scene with an order for each of them. Also, his clothing is similar to that of the older people in the first scene. Paul assumes Amy is old enough to know how to drive and throws her the keys of his car, however Amy's stress in the car (that is documented with a close up of her face) as she tries to navigate which part is which, shows her age because she must be under the age of 17 if she doesn't even have the possibility of passing her driving test.
The part of the extract in which Paul throws they keys to Amy shows a reliance that Amy has on Paul. Literally, Amy can't go anywhere without Paul's help (him throwing her the keys) and this can be looked at metaphorically too. Again the sense of family and perhaps authority is reestablished. The way it is edited reinforces a reliance that Amy has on Paul when the clip of him holding the keys cuts to her catching them in a nervous, unconfident way. Her age is portrayed through her obvious need of Paul's help and support which we can read from her body language when catching the keys, instinct to lie about her ability to drive and her willingness to do as he tells her.
The cut from Amy standing alone holding the keys of the car that she doesn't know how to drive to Amy sitting in the car confused shows a definite vulnerability, lack of maturity and highlights her young age.
When Paul hears the car crash, his age is shown through his protective and concerned reaction to hearing a crash. He yells and drops the enormous hammer he was carrying, running straight in the direction Amy went. This reaction would suggest that he is around the age to be Amy's father or at least act as a father figure.
At the scene of the car crash, Edward Green is portrayed in an unpopular way, with Amy, Ewan, Paul and an older woman in one shot and Edward in another. His age is shown through his facial hair, his grey hair and his fairly formal clothing, on top of his job as a principle. He also speaks in a stricter but still concerned way to Amy, saying that he was 'worried sick'. This could show him to be in the same age range as a father to Amy. Amy's age is reinforced when all characters turn to her when the headmaster announces that she is sixteen. Not only is everyone taller than her and so looks down at her, her expression and the contrast in colour of her clothing reinforces this.
Just before the confrontation between Amy and Paul, the older woman who looks as though she could be the age of Amy's mother, is shown leaning down to be at Amy's level as she sits on a chair waiting for Paul. The concerned expression and body language as she leans down and holds Amy's arm show the age of the woman and portray her in a motherly way.
In the scene of the confrontation between Amy and Paul, the age difference and subsequent difference in authority that they hold is highlighted. There is an over the shoulder shot used, looking over Paul's shoulder. We see Amy looking up at Paul and this switches to a Point of View shot, from Amy's eye line so looking up at Paul. The confrontation seems like one between an arguing father and teenage daughter and in this way the ages of these two characters are reinforced. Eventually Paul snaps and says, 'go and pack.' This quick decision that he makes reinforces the fatherly and disciplinary personality he has been portrayed with throughout, showing his age.
The contrast in clothing colours between Amy and Paul and the older woman and the woman in the dark green coat that enters to tell Paul that, 'everyone is ready,' highlights the difference in age between the three, placing Paul and the woman in a similar age bracket and Amy in a separate, teenage one.
When Amy shouts, 'I hate you!' her lack of maturity and her frustration at being told to leave by Paul is obvious. This could be seen as typical behaviour for someone of her age who is being ordered around. The fact she does not try to converse with Paul but rather screams and runs out of the room is an obvious sign of her age.
The next scene is a group of people working outside again. Just as in the first scene, these people's ages are portrayed by them carrying heavy objects with ease and so are obviously physically strong.
In Amy's room, her age is shown when she leaves possessions of hers to 'Molly' and 'Cameron'. One of these possessions is a teddy bear, clearly showing that perhaps Amy is not as old as everyone though she was but is ready to leave it behind as she leaves. There are also objects typical to a teenage girl's bedroom such as magazines, fairy lights, bright colours and photos. Her age is shown through this clever use of mise en scene. The photo especially shows a sense of family and community between the Paul, Amy, the older woman and Ewan. The camera zooms onto the photo and pauses for effect on it. The characters places within a family structure are reestablished and with this, so are their ages.
The scene then cuts to outside her window and Amy has exited the room. The camera slowly rises up, showing the whole room. The older woman comes in, assumedly to check on Amy and make sure she is alright and ready to go. This again is a reinforcement of the maternal nature she has and the age she is in order to be a mother figure to Amy. When Amy isn't there she is concerns and runs to Paul.
The final scene is a wide shot again, showing lots of people again doing manual labour. An angry man who I assume is in his late 50s or around that, is portrayed with next to no authority. I assume he is this age because of his grey hair, beard and dark clothing. Paul is shown again as the stronger and more fatherly figure as he carries a heavy object that seems to be part of a fence really easily. This fatherly way in which Paul is represented reinforces his age throughout because while he may not be Amy's father he has the self assurance, experience and confidence to take charge of a group of people.
Excellent analysis but needs to discuss a wide range of techniques
ReplyDeleteAnalysis 16
Examples 17
Terminology 4