MEST 4: Xmas Task #1 - TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Analysis: 4:04 - 5:49

“Kidulthood” is a 2006 British-made drama film which focuses on the life of several teenagers in the area of Inner West London. The film was written by Noel Clarke and directed by Menhaj Huda. It was produced and distributed by Revolver Entertainment which is one of the UK’s largest film distributors.

The semiotics used within this extract comes in the form of denotations and connotations. For example, the shopkeeper in the shop where Jay is paying for his drinks is Asian, which could be seen as a stereotype as it could connote that most corner shops are owned by Asians. In turn, this puts into perspective how the film has elements of representing people of a specific social group in a particular way by using stereotypes, in order to make it seem as though all people of that social group are the same. The mise-en-scéne allows us to see a complete image of what is going on on-screen and allows us to make meaning of each of its elements. For example, the clothing used within this extract and the entire film is mainly tracksuits and hats, which could connote towards the audience that either all teenagers dress like this, or all those who commit crimes dress like this. Due to the actors’ clothing and film’s setting, and props, it quickly connotes to the audience that the film has been set in London as a result of it showing black cabs and red double-decker buses, which as a result allows the audience to know that the film revolves around the character’s life in the largely inhabited city.

Due to what is seen within this extract, it is easy to see that the film has been made in the UK as it is set in West London, and allows us to see that it is non-Hollywood putting into perspective that it may have been produced on a low-budget due to the mise-en-scéne. By using trailers, posters, and a website, this film has been promoted by making use of the three media platforms allowing it to reach people through the use of different media elements. As a result of some of the film’s characters being interviewed and by them appearing on day-time TV shows such as GMTV and This Morning, the film has received a lot of publicity as people from that moment are able to decide for themselves whether they would want to see the film. Distribution for the film comes in the form of multiplex cinemas. These are large cinema complexes which operate a various number of screens under one-roof. By distributing the film in multiplex cinemas, it has allowed the distribution company to earn back the money that was made to produce the film as it may have as a result boosted ticket sales.

As a result of what is seen and heard within this extract, it appears as though there is only one type of target audience, with it being the teenagers, and people of ethnic minorities. This can be said as a result of the extract featuring black and Asian people. With the film being from the drama genre, it is expected that the film will contain many scenes which take on the form of drama by basing it on actual events. For example, by linking this extract to what they think the film is about, viewers are able to make a distinction between what is fiction and what is reality as they are able to make a division between what could be fake and what could be real as a result of them being able to link to what’s going on in society. It is easy for this film to attract teenagers, as the film’s certificate is 15, this can also be said due to the authorship of the film. With the film’s writer being black and the director being Asian, it may put into perspective that they intend to represent ethnic minorities as criminals and a threat to society, by reinforcing the used stereotypes. By them doing this, it may lead non-ethnic people into thinking that it is okay to see ethnic minorities in this way, and that they have the right to see them in this way, if the ethnic minority groups see themselves in this way.

Symbolic iconographies of the drama genre will usually contain a lot of scenes where there could be elements of violence, and aggression. This links to what is seen within the extract as the shopkeeper is shown trying to fend himself off from Jay with a baseball bat, and when Jay smashes the glass bottle on the wall. Narratives for drama films, as with this one contain a lot of build-up into the last scene of the film. Within this extract the characters Jay, Trife, and Moony begin to talk about another character Sam and express their hatred towards him by saying that they will “bang him up”, while Trife pretends that he is kicking him in the head. With them doing this, it could connote towards the audience that this may lead to a dramatic ending where Sam may wish to get his own revenge on them for doing this.

The extract shows that ethnic minority males are being represented within the film. The representation of males from ethnic minority groups can be seen as both negative, but accurate as it is shown to reflect society and what is going on around us. The way in which these ethnic minority males have been represented can reinforce the stereotypes formed against them as this film reinforces the stereotypical view that all young black men are violent and take part in criminal activities. This puts into perspective the theory of Marxism and hegemony and allows us to see how the media controls our ideas, views and opinions by ensuring that we as the audience are passive in terms of where we stand when watching a media text. By representing a social group in a particular way, and in turn reinforcing stereotypes, this film can link to social issue of moral panics. A moral panic can be put into focus by the continued use of stereotypes and the public’s overreaction at a supposed threat to society. With this film reinforcing stereotypes, and with the media having a control over what we think about ethnic minorities, it can lead to the public finding a link between the current crime wave and the way in which this film represents ethnic minorities.

As seen within this extract are the ideologies and values of what could be underpinning this text. This allows us to make sense of what type of ideas the film’s writer and director had in mind when producing this film. This extract appears to reinforce the liberal value of multi-culturalism within Britain now that we are a more inclusive and multi-cultural society; this is put into perspective by the fact that the film was both written and produced by people from ethnic minorities, and also by the presence of black and Asian characters seen within this extract. By using stereotypes within this extract, as well as probably the rest of the film it appears as though the film wishes to maintain the status quo and leave things as they are by supporting the status quo view in regards to aspects of the cultural behaviour of black males. Through the use of montage editing, the film follows a linear narrative where the scenes are chronological and follow through with one another. The tracking shot from the corner shop to the streets of West London and the continued use of it when Jay, Trife, and Moony are walking allows the scene to continue to flow as we are able to follow their movements to ensure that we are able to keep up with narrative.

The extract puts into perspective the audience theory as it raises the question if whether the media shapes an audience’s perception of the world around them and the people within it, or if whether it is up to the audience to decide for themselves if whether these representations reflect reality. It can be said that the media fills the audience with information which is resistant to social change but on the other hand it can be said that representations of ethnic minorities are open to different interpretations and that their meanings are not fixed, and therefore puts into perspective that it is up to the audience about how they want to interpret the representation of a particular group, it is not the media who is influencing them. This links to the hypodermic needle theory as it states that media content is shot at the audience like a magic bullet, directly penetrating the viewer’s mind, in turn making us realise as the audience if whether we are passive and just accept the ways ethnic people are represented, or if whether we are active and decide for ourselves if the representations of ethnic people are real.

With this film reinforcing stereotypes among ethnic minorities, it can relate to the position of ethnic minorities within today’s society. 2009 saw the increase in the stop and search surge among ethnic minorities with there being a 100% increase among blacks, and a 130% increase among Asians; more so than that of whites. As a result of this, we are able to see the impact that films such as “Kidulthood” have on society. For example, a black man walks into a shop, he is being followed based on the fact that he is black, and people may think that he is a thief; this links to Dyer’s quote that “how we are seen determines in part how we are treated; how we treat others is based on how we see them; such seeing comes from representation”, this puts into perspective how the way in which black minority characters are routinely stereotyped could contribute to feelings of low-self esteem and fear, as black people may always feel as though they are being watched due to the fact that they have been represented as criminals and a danger to society. However, films such as “Kidulthood” also mark a social change among society and put into perspective how Britain has now become more diverse and multi-cultural. In a way, this allows us to see that the film is in fact informing us of how Britain has changed which in turn puts into context the positive values that the film has as a result of integrating both Asian and black characters as seen within the extract.

The extract is able to put into perspective how far people of ethnic minority groups have come in terms of their position within society. Black people were regularly subjected to slave work among society and within films, whereas Asians were set out as ‘the other’ as a result of Britain colonising India. This film is able to inform others that the world has now changed and does not work in the same way it use to, as a result letting us know that we are now able to see ethnic minorities as equivalent rather than seeing them as lower subjects within society. Due to the fact that the film has been written and directed by people of ethnic minorities, it allows us to see that there has also been an increase of ethnic minorities in the workforce marking the impact that equal opportunities act has had on ethnic groups. The introduction of equal pay for equal work may have encouraged people of the ethnic minority groups to seek more job roles, those of which they may not have been able to apply for if they were still represented as being less equal than whites or if they were still set out as ‘the other’.

To conclude, with films such as “Kidulthood” representing black people as criminals, and the increase in gun and knife crime within Britain, the film reflects the moral panic at the time over the increase in knife crime, which in turn links to if whether the Government has done enough to decrease the numbers of deaths caused by it or to completely put a stop to it. This can be put into context with them putting into action the “Stop and Search Surge” in 2007 in order to decrease the number of people carrying knives. However, with a film like “Kidulthood”, it may also come as somewhat of a contribution towards the decrease of knife crime, among others as people are able to see the impact that it can have on society, and in turn may make them stop carrying knives or inform others to stop carrying them.