Filming Update

Regarding production thus far, I have successfully filmed about 2/3 of the shots I require and transferred them onto the Macs where they have been sorted and assembled in Final Cut to begin editing. 

However, I have encountered some issues. As I work weekends, filming shots is now difficult. I have decided to scrap the original concept of having one character on the cliff as I felt that it portrayed an actor as the artist, which I did not think would work, and also because logistically, it was difficult to achieve. Instead, I'm going to focus more on the narrative aspect of the lives of the two characters. I hope to film a few more sections with each actor and their respective groups soon, whilst editing the existing clips at the same time.

I've settled on the ending for the Character who felt uncomfortable around his friends, in that he will leave the beach and his friends will be waiting for him, and they will then be shown to be having a good time. I'm not certain how the story for the Character in the relationship will end at the moment, bar the fact that the issues will be resolved. I hope that the more I film the more this will become apparent.

This Is England Analysis - Cesco & Joe

How are youth represented in British Cinema?

How is Spaced (1999) different to Human Traffic? How are Youth represented?
Spaced is contemporary to Human Traffic, and bares both similarities and differences to Human Traffic. Firstly, it is similar in the fact that the characters in both films have a low work ethic - both characters in Spaced are unemployed, like Moff, and use obscene language (Daisy in the bar) in public to convey what they are feeling. They are both very easy going characters like the group in Human Traffic also. However, it is different to Human Traffic as the woman, Daisy, is looking for a job, whereas Moff refuses to get a job in Human Traffic, and the characters discuss getting the most out of what they do in their job, referencing their friend Mike who is an enthusiastic "lollypop man". The characters in Human Traffic hate work and cannot wait to get out of it.
The youth are represented in a slightly different light. Both are shown as easy going, who don't really care for what they're doing - a close up of Daisy slouched on the chair in the flat highlights this. However. in Spaced they are shown as proactive and willing to get a job, and can enjoy the aspects of working life, whereas in Human Traffic youth are shown as reckless and lazy, only wanting to go out at the weekend. Although Spaced may go on to highlight some issues of drug usage, youth are shown more positively in the extract.

Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and If are Social Realist films. How are the youth and the Authority figures represented?
In "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" (1962), there is a clear hierarchy of Authority. The Authority figures are shown to be commanding, through use of diegetic sound in speech ("Much higher than that Smith"), and the youth are following the orders of the one, older man. Close ups of Smith's face show that he is struggling to keep up with the orders of the trainer, showing the physical dominance of the instructor too, and the class all stop when he says to, showing respect. This is perhaps typical of the time, where youth have lots of respect for their elders and know that they will be punished if they step out of line, contrasting to Human Traffic. When Smith is addressed by his superior he responds with "Sir?" again showing respect. He is shown through a slight high angle shot here to show how he is below the superiors in the hierarchy. However, the Authority figures treat the youth with respect also, unlike in Human Traffic (Moff's Dad), saying that "If you play ball with us, we will play ball with you." Smith is shown to be humbled after the superior says he can do the usual run alone, and here the Social Realism can be taken into account- inside the gates, Smith follows orders, but when he is outside, he is free, and is shown to run around looking around him taking in his surroundings, accompanied with upbeat, non-digietic sounds in the form of the jazz soundtrack to connote his happiness and freedom.

Similarly, in "If", the youth follow the orders of the instructor, notably when Jute doesn't go for the jump straight away and has to be encouraged forcibly by the instructor. However, when the other adult is doing gymnastics, the low angle shot of Jute shows admiration for the gymnast, and that the children look up to the adults.

Authority Figures in Human Traffic

In Human Traffic, Authority figures, the characters parents, are portrayed through how they are viewed by their children- in this instance, Jip and Moff's Mum and Dad respectively.

Firstly, Jip's Mum is portrayed to have two sides. On the first part, she is stereotyped by gender and her role as a parent, she is shown to be loving and caring upon seeing Jip come home, and offers for him to stay for dinner. The audience reaction to this is that she fulfills a typical motherly role and hence are almost shocked when it is revealed her job is a prostitute. This contrasts the typical Mother role and says that the two characters have a strange relationship, that Jip hates the fact a "punter" could be home when he visits. In the shots, she is positioned at the same level as Jip, suggesting that there is no hierarchy there and perhaps that both characters are looking out for each other, Jip looking out for his Mum and his Mum fulfilling her role to Jip.

By contrast, Moff's Dad is perceived very negatively. He is shown to be assertive and a pest to Moff, yelling at him to get a job, quite a stereotypical dominant Father role that isn't as visibly caring as Jip's Mum. Moff argues back at him and swears at him, showing that their relationship is quite turbulent. As an Authoritative figure in the film, Moff's Dad tries to discipline his quite rebellious son, but Moff doesn't comply, quite representative of more modern youth, as the film illustrates throughout. Moff's Dad is stereotyped through his gender as Language Study says that Men use more assertive language and typically assume a dominant role. The audience reacts to this in a way that acknowledges how Moff's Dad is matching his stereotypical role as Father and that Moff is a young adult that wants to do what he wants and not live a monotonous life in job he does not enjoy like the rest of his friends.