"Youth" Brief Analysis

Youth

Directors’ Lab 2008 – scheme to help writers

UK Film Council Lottery Funded

Writer/Director: Jane Linfoot

1)

Brief analysis:

Fade in to man sleeping – given tea – someone else open blinds for him – clearly in need of sleep – stretches – has a look of being hungover – sits up – drinks tea – stands up – slow camera movement – long takes – editorial pace quickens as his mood intensifies – pulls out old record – puts it on – shows the time zone is 20^th century – music intensity matches intensity he is getting dressed – stylish – dancing/bopping to music – rapid camera movement/short takes – camera moves all over his body showing different movements – turns music up – enjoying himself – takes pictures of himself (SELFIE!) – prints them out immediately from camera – stores them in an album – after five odd minutes begins to play with belt – acts like he is chained, whipped – very sexual movements – like a dog/like he is hanging himself – kisses the mirror – makes out with the mirror of himself – mirrors loneliness/love of himself – music stops/mood changes as man comes in

Micro to Macro: Costume/sexuality - shows his stereotype – explores his sexuality/who are they? Am I attractive? How am I seen by others?

Form/Structure: Starts off slow – continues in slow movements but light and colour increases – pace quickens, with the camera moving at the same quick pace, but the cutting becoming faster -  the pace slows down/ pauses as the man walks into the room – parameter of editing – gives shape to the film

Mood: Emotional/intellectual gap between generations

Message: Questioning whether we change our opinions

2)

Rudeness towards young girl from other woman, young girl is clearly insecure about her body, hides behind the pool, and doesn’t want to be seen – long takes,

Boy washing hands, drinking, jumps in pool by girl, clearly emotionally attached, splashing, making out in the pool – clearly a feeling of insecurity and jealousy

Young girl showering, continuously turning on the shower

Editorial pace slows showing boy and woman in water

Young girl feels enclosed

Does handstand – girl feels endangered by boy as he taunts her

Young girl is dressed, eating crisps, clearly does not mind what she does when she is alone, but she feels insecure around others

Message/Meaning: Young girl feels secure around herself, doing what she enjoys, but the minute insecure around others, who she feels intimidated by (e.g. girl with a more fashionable body,

Class and status – earrings

Colours are bright/ light and sound – suggest a pleasant place - should be a happy environment?

Security/insecurity/confidence of youth

Long takes – mid-shots – body shots; do not show the entire characters/not showing faces – pressure on young people/women to look fashionable is huge

Sympathy is felt through dialogue/rudeness towards young girl – boredom clearly felt in a pleasant place – two contrasting elements

3)

Mood:

Gangsters – swearing on a bus towards people outside the bus – white man has a knife – arguing amongst themselves – asking for knife – threatens him – all have earrings, one has a hat – wearing school clothes – three girls enter the picture – young boys feel pressured/embarrassed – accused of being gay – engage in physical combat, speech muffled – boy needs asthma pump after being head-locked – black leader argues with other black boy about his mum phoning him – tries to act tough - rude to man in front – boy with knife listens to black leader  - pressured to do him – throws can at him – blames white boy – white boy put plastic bag over his head – gets his knife out – clearly a threatened/ desperate movement

Message: Peer pressure, live two lives – gangster like, and also trying to stay a youth – do we reflect ourselves through this film? Can we see ourselves?

Stereotypical – youths irritating everyone else, fashionable clothing – defying authority being loud and disrespectful, vandalises the bus, pressures other people – adoption of black youth culture by the white youths – huge sense of Hiatus – cliff-hanger (what happens next?)

Shouting – knife – who should have it?

Panning of the camera on all three boys – who has the power? Who is the alpha-male? Who is the one that is vulnerable? – Exploiting others weaknesses – selfishness of youth – absence of empathy – self orientation of youth – “It’s all about me”