Props related to homelessness- Practical

Props related to homelessness- Practical

By watching films, documentaries and TV programs that link in with our theme of homelessness I have looked at the different possible props that we could use. We have already sourced two our props so by finding other appropriate options I can see if they will work with the existing options. By creating props I will also have the power to dictate their state of distress, this can indicate how long the character has been homeless and how they have evolved to adapt on the streets.

We could possibly include the idea of a sign in our film opening, by having images of the character begging we could introduce a sympathetic response from the viewer. For the sign we would need an old piece of cardboard and a permanent marker. Different messages can gather different responses from the audience, this could be effective as it will add some realism to the scenes.

I chose to do three different signs that we could use, they all have different messages but they are all effective, I believe that if we use the simple 'homeless and hungry' idea we can have an effective scene and we can use its simplicity to make a complex character. To do this I used an old cardboard box and asked my brother to run over it a few times to make them seem more worn. I ripped the panel into three parts so that it looked less clean.

I then used a sharpie and a permanent marker to write on the signs

Used take away coffee cups are also seen in film where the character is homeless, these can either be used for their purpose or for the character to beg for money. This can be practical in its uses as we can use the prop to evolve our scenes, we can give the prop a subtle importance as we can image the character being given the mug, then them using it to beg for change and then further on.

In films you can often see the character using a shopping cart to carry what is left of their belongings in it. This is possible but would be impractical for us as we are going to be using a range of locations and transporting the cart is unrealistic.

Due to the realistic take we want to take on the theme of homelessness I believe that the less props we use the more effective the film opening will be. By overcrowding the scene we could risk the reality we are trying to convey.