Evaluation Question Two
How does your opening sequence represent particular social groups?
The main characters in our film are “Trey Smith” (protagonist) and “Nicholas Smith” (antagonist). However we have not shown our main characters in the opening, but through other characters we represented this gangster social group. The three characters we see in our opening have been represented as typical gangsters, and what makes them typical is mainly their costume. For example, as they all wearing Hoodies we associate Hoodies with gang crime. In the film “Adulthood” we see the character “Sam” wearing a hoody most of the time throughout the film. This stereotypically represents him as a gang member. This follows the codes and conventions of crime drama and therefore suits the Mise-en-scene the audience would expect to see in a movie of this genre. Their behaviour is also quite anti social as they are drinking alcohol, smoking and dumping their litter in a private place. They all have neutral facial expressions as well which suggest that these youths don’t seem to care about anything. As we showed them dealing illegal drugs, we conveyed the importance and power of it by keeping the hands in the forth ground position of the screen. As this shot was a low angle shot and their serious and sly facial expressions are shown, the audience senses that these gangsters are doing something very serious and seem like quite superior characters. The drug dealing also plays an important part in our narrative as it is related to the theme of gang crime and drug dealing is part of it.
In our film we did not include our main characters, however if we were to do this they both would have very different personalities. Trey Smith has more of a respectable image than Nicholas Smith who seems quite harsh. According to their lifestyles, Nicholas would be represented as a true gangster, wearing street wear fashion, jewellery and a hoody. His props would most likely be a gun, knife, cigars. A character from “Adulthood”, “Sam” is also a gangster and both Nicholas and Sam are the same in personality as they always get into trouble, and the audience would expect that from Nicholas as he is the antagonist and is the leader of a most wanted gang. Whereas Trey Smith would be represented as a young respectable C.I.D agent wearing smart uniform. But as he goes undercover he would change his attitude and costume to more gangster like. For example like Nicholas he would wear casual street wear and a hoody. This is important to the narrative as Nicholas is represented as a typical gangster. The character “Sam Ace Rothstein” in Casino is similar to Trey Smith’s character as he is also used by an organisation to accomplish certain tasks.
Trey Smith’s typical attitude would be well mannered and polite, and a man of intelligence. He would usually have serious facial expressions as well, and to show his high status the camera would be at a low angle as the audience would look up to him and feel that this character has power. Nicholas Smith AKA Big Jon’s typical attitude would be harsh, rude and intimidating as he is the leader of
Antagonist:
Name: Nicholas Smith
Nickname: Big Jon
Gender: Male
Age: 22
D.O.B: 22.01.1987
Protagonist:
Name: Trey Smith
Gender: Male
Age: 20
D.O.B: 10.08.1989
We had no problems with our cast as we felt it was easy to manipulate their image into gang. They were made to stay true to the character representations by acting laid back and anti social by drinking and smoking in an alley way and dealing illegal drugs. We made our cast wear hoodies and try to hide or take off any smart school clothes they are usually wearing. This also helps the audience to identify who these three teenagers may be and the reason for being in a dirty alley way. However the audience does not know this and again creates the suspense and curiosity to know what exactly is going on in this digesis. In the low angle shot of the gangsters dealing drugs, I directed them to look suspicious and sinister as they are committing a serious crime. I then directed the third gang member to look around just in case a passerby notices what this gang is up to.
