Representation within 'About a Girl' - A2

Representation within 'About a Girl'

Hyperlink to the short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV1_TXm0XHs

• Extreme long shot creates a sense of distance and along with the low angle creates the representation that the protagonist has her 'head in the clouds'. With the sky behind her the spectator hardly sees the protagonist, although we can't see her facial expression, it is clear that she is in a dark place, literally and metaphorically.

• With use of handheld camera, the spectator gets the impression of being the protagonists friend as though they were walking along beside her. The handheld technique also creates a representation of a fast pace life with many 'ups and downs'.
• The dialogue used by the protagonist represents her of being of a working class.
• Along with her costume, hair and make up, this again is apparent. Emphasised mainly through setting, props and décor, for example, the graffiti, dirty canal, etc. it is evident to the spectator that the young girl unwillingly lives in a working class place "I've had enough".

• Through the diegetic sound effects such as the dog barking, this ambient noise represents the area as rather overcrowded, with the repeated dialogue of "I've had enough" and the protagonist walking along the deserted canal it represents the girl as though she is in search for a better, more relaxed lifestyle.
• Throughout the entire short film there is de-saturation of colour to represent the lifestyle as dull and dismal.
• With the extreme long shot, two shot, of her dad and the protagonist, his bright clothing juxtaposed to her more bland costume represents the distance between the two.

• Through the camera movement of zooming out, this shows just how lonely the protagonist is and how isolated the setting is representing the protagonist as perhaps alienated.
• The mid shots used are common and allow spectators to see facial expression of the protagonist, some extreme long shots are also used to show body language. This, however, represents the protagonist as rather un-phased by the trauma that is her life, with limited facial expression and body language.

• With use of the large depth of field, we see the protagonists mum who, again appears un-approachable and distant from her daughter. The shallow depth of field helps to create this representation.
• As we begin to see more of the sky behind the protagonist there could be use of pathetic fallacy, with the weather being gloomy and sombre, this could represent the emotions of the protagonist.
• Cut transitions are used throughout and create a sense of simplicity, also being used for flashbacks to manipulate time. This creates the representation of the protagonist of having a rather basic and unhappy lifestyle.