Connection
Film maker: markmc
Length of film: 2minutes 19seconds
Film theme: homelessness - https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/population-and-urbanization-17/urban-life-124/homelessness-703-10485/
Media language
Connection begins with an extreme close up which uses a
focus pull in on the zip of a sleeping bag. The camera then pans up to a mans
face. Which from the costume of a beard, beanie hat and tired eyes, the
audience presumes he is a homeless man. A non-diegetic faint sound of wind and guitar begins
to play softly as an extreme long shot is used to show setting. The props of a
cup used for collecting change and the graffiti in background set the scene of
a rough area. The director has chosen a blue sleeping bag as the colour has
connotations of sadness and vulnerability. 
The character remains still as people with suitcases in
suits walk past, representing how people are
not giving any money to help him
at all.
A the non-diegetic sound of a penny dropping plays as a handheld zoom in in zigzag shape is used to highlight the importance of the
homeless mans facial expression and to show how money is so important to him as
he has nothing. A low angle close up of the business mans face is shown to
convey dropped something.
Shown from the characters dialogue, it is clear they have Irish
accents. The director may have chosen this because the accent is quite soft and
non-threatening. It also made them stand out as a contrast as these characters
were dressed differently and sounded differently to the setting they were
placed in. The saturation is slightly dulled in this film to represent the mood and rough setting.
The non-diegetic soundtrack then begins to play again with
an extreme close up in shallow depth of field of the man beginning to cry. This
positions the audience to feel pity and sympathy for the character. There is then a pan back down the zip which
could convey he’s back where he started –
upset and lonely. The fade to black
leaves the audience in shock as it’s left as a cliff hanger.
Representation of class and status
- · Graffiti – connotations of youth and criminality
- · The matching suit and tie made the business man appear of a higher class – audience assumes he has job unlike the homeless man
- · Homeless man has no belongings, appears vulnerable which makes him be seen as a very low class
- · Well dressed woman and man appear to have lack of humour towards the homeless guy and stereotypically look down on him
- · Visual representation of status – he isn’t seen by the other characters until he picks up the coin - shows he is literally unseen in status hierarchy.
- · The action of dropping the coin has connotations of chance and the characters reaction of the homeless man picking it up can go either of two ways.
- The title 'connections' links directly to the drama played out between the two main characters who bump into eachother and also the negative connection of status they eventually make with the homeless man.
Audience
Two audiences:
- Lower class – Can feel more sympathy and compassion with the homeless man as they understand the struggle of having less money than higher classes. They may also not want to identify with the ‘business man’ because they are employees rather than being employers themselves. (C2/D/E)
- Upper class – Higher classes may also be targetted by this
film as it is quite educational and shows why they should not look down on
people who are homeless in society as they are no different. (A/B)
Age – Older people are more likely to find the film appealing as it deals with human emotion and economic conditions which younger people may not be as interested in. However it has elements of romance (the couple bumping into each other) which may draw in a younger audience.
Narrative
- Linear narrative
Todorovs 5 stages of equilibrium:
- Equilibrium – people walking by homeless man
- Disruption – dropping of the coin
- Recognition - couple bump into each other
- Attempt to repair the disruption – homeless man takes coin
- New equilibrium – this plot doesn’t really have a new equilibrium other than the couple walking away however this leaves the man upset and alone resulting in more of a disruption.
Genre
This film relies on humour, romance, drama and sympathy. The
film genre appears to be drama, which is very broad, however uses a realistic
plot and story.
Steve neale states repetition alone does not attract an audience. This is proven in this film as the plot line is very original and doesn’t use many conventions.
Buckhingams theory: hybrid of drama and possibly romance
Semantic code example: dropping money, links to the theme of
homelessness and drama.
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