Mise-en-Scene Task

Today in our seminar we had the following task: Study, deconstruct, and present analyisis of each shot.

We did this for 6 different shots and discussed the outcomes in a group at the end.

This is the shot that caught my eye:



This shot is dimly lit for effect. This signifies a dark subject and tells the reader that the conversation the man is having is not a pleasant one. The background is nothingness, and highlights the isolation of the character (there is nothing else in his world). In the foreground, you can see an unfocused person, but only the back of their head. Also, the shaved head and uniform that the other person seems to be wearing may symbolize power, specifically a power that the man smoking is facing. The center of the shot is the ciggarette. This ciggarette represents his last choice in life and he seems to be holding a strong posture and smoking as if to say "I may not have anything else but at least I have ciggarettes."

A Turn of Events (5.11.08)

We still have not received a reply from our contact, so we decided to research into interviewing someone from the YMCA, an organization that helps addicts and alcoholics. However, when we went to the YMCA we were told that they would not be able to help us. Then we went to the police station and received a list of numbers for rehabilitation centers. All of these contacts were also unable to help.

After this news we decided to have an emergency group meeting to change the idea for our documentary. Some of the ideas we came up with are:

- Community Support Officer
- Big Issue Seller
- Womens' Protection House Staff

After outlining each of these ideas we received a call about a member of a graffiti group called "Oxygen Thievez." Nathan Bainbridge, or Kid30, as he is known, said he would be willing to be part of our character study. Tomorrow we will have a full group meeting and will start our new project.

Group Meeting Two: "My Mum, Heroin, and Me" (23.10.08)

Today we had our second group meeting. The main purpose of this meeting was to look at some documentaries to get some inspiration for how we want to approach our character study. Mainly, our focus was on a documentary called "My Mum, Heroin, and Me" which was shown at 9pm on Channel 4. The story is about a 20-something year old girl named Hannah. She is addicted to heroin and sleeps rough with her boyfriend by choice so as to not further disrupt her family's life. Although distraught over Hannah's choices, Hannah's mother supports her habit in many ways, including for Hannah's birthday, taking her to buy the heroin and giving her the money to get it. Here are the notes I took for the film:

Intro
- Video montage
- Voiceover: Hannah reading letter

Body
- Shots of Hannah walking during narration
- Close up interview w/ Mom
- Pictures of sister
- Shots of police
- Story from mother (thought Hannah had died)
- Boyfriend talking about criminal charges and stealing tv from Hannah's parents
- Shots of use in a staircase (night-time)
- History and problems (how things began/progression)
- Interview w/ hostel manager
- Hannah and mother meet for lunch
- other voiceover while Hannah staring blankly out of window
- Recent stories: mental breakdown (2007)
- Hope/Future plans/Strengths of Hannah's character
- *** "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley ***
- Childhood: rare disease
- trouble in school/growing up
- 21st birthday (April 2008)
- transaction scene
- camera in backseat
- Mother hands Hannah money
- Cuts to using scene
- Hannah returns and Mum gives her presents
- shot of Hannah's face through visor mirror
- Present time: June 2008 (depressing music)
- Hannah's 6th home since start of filming
- Change to daytime shots and lighter music (August 2008)
- Hannah faces charges: theft/assault and boyfriend arrested for begging
- Long shots of Hannah staring

Outro
- Court
- Hannah flys to South Africa for 5-month rehab
- Quick to credits