LO1 - Investigating representations of Britain

Do you remember way back last year when we watched:

• This is England?
• About A Girl?
• Notting Hill?

In your portfolio you need to have a discussion of the way in which these films use camerawork, mise-en-scene or editing to construct a representation of Britain. We did this by cutting out images from each of the films and annotating/ labelling them with details of how they represent Britain. We commented upon the use of camerawork, mise-en-scene and editing.

To remind yourself of the films, watch these clips and read my comments after each one.

This Is England

If I were to be writing about this, I'd comment on the way the grainy footage and the bleak mise-en-scene (grafitti; old cars; dirty streets; council estates) represent Britain as run-down and derelict. I'd also make notes on the way the colours are quite drab and greay, making the place seem murky and depressed. There's also some great contrast between the glamorous world on the TV clips of people dancing/ enjoying themselves in brightly coloured clothes, compared to the everyday shots of the places where real people lived.
This film represents Britain as a depressed, dark and sad place.

About A Girl

Like 'This is England', About A Girl is a film that aims for gritty realism and seeks to show the dirty side of Britain. If I were to be writing about this film, I'd comment on the way that the handheld camera makes the film seem less stable (and therefore makes the girl seem less stable) and the way that it lingers on depressed moments. I'd also look at the way the choppy editing makes the video (and the girl) seem more fragmented and fractured. Also - look at the locations that are used: old terraces; derelict warehouses and post-industrial places; dirty canals; a run-down pub; a windy football field. These locations show that Britain is derelict and broken. The representation of Britain in this film is similar to the representation in 'This is England', and I would make comparisons between them.

Notting Hill

'Notting Hill' represents Britain in a totally different way. The smooth camerawork and smooth editing make the place (and the character) seem more composed and together. The bright colours make Britain seem vibrant and cheerful. The abundance of flowers and blue sky, as well as the diversity and smart locations, all emphasise the cheer of Britain.