AS Media Locations Of Violence Source Of Inspiration

Locations Of Violence Deconstruction

Ideas

For our opening scene we had ideas of violence. Consequently, I gathered British films and TV shows that include a fight scene to analyse its choice in location. I tried to gain understanding of how the time and mise-en-scene affects the audience's view on the scene and the victims by selecting a variety of clips with different characters and situations.

If we were to include violence we wish to create sympathy with a younger victim like in "Shank". This could be done by having them involved and abused by a gang or peer pressured to beat someone up etc. These were all suggestions we had for our urban drama. We are still playing with the idea of a psychological horror and so using this research will help us understand what setting would be best for a more suspenseful attack.

Genre

Sticking to the theme of urban dramas, the first clip is from the 2006 film "This Is England". It can be seen more of a comedy, because the modern working class is mocked with their stupidity. There is not a great amount of drama in this scene because of the comical factors. But, perhaps, it could also be from the open location of a park at day time. As the fight occurs publicly in the day time, to create tension and feelings for the victims, the location would be more secretive in the night time, where the victim is the most isolated.

Below is the clip used:

In "Trainspotting", the idea of having a public fight scene is used once again to make the character appear big headed and a fool. In this scenario, having the scene in a bar, when the characters are drunk develops this idea we have of the character. This can link to common representations of male adults of the modern working class. We are unable to tell from this scene what time of day it is, however, the bright lighting from the bar acts as a method for exposing the situation, and once again, makes the fight scene public. This can be watched below:

Another bar fight scene occurs in the French-British film "Legend" about the Kray brothers. Despite the light setting of a bar similar to the one seen in "Trainspotting", the fight that occurs in "Legend" appears more horrific and dramatic. Not only could this be due to the lack of an outrageous anecdote that adds to the somewhat light hearted fight in "Trainspotting", but in "Legend" the characters in the bar are fairly isolated unlike the loud and busy bar in "Trainspotting".

We are also shown more close ups of the violence and extra props that are unexpected in said location. This adds to the significance and memorable attacks on the characters, this includes the ripping off of an ear and a hammer, while in "Trainspotting", the characters use beer bottles etc. which we expect to see in a standard drunken pub fight and adds to the humorous representation of male young adults of the British modern working class. Below is the clip of the "Legend" fight: