2. Buscombes theory and semiotics:
• Buscombe’s theory states that one genre is differentiated
to another through the use of these:
Location
Appearance
Tools
Miscellaneous
Semiotics is how certain messages are portrayed
throughout the film using both the signified and signifier.
These are important in the construction of the genre and
how it differentiates.
3. Location
• The opening scene has no set location. The open is set in many
different places because it contains key videos from the 80’s.
Some of these include; Margret Thatcher; the IRA holding a union
jack; famous TV shows. This is important for setting the scene for
the rest of the movie because you can infer that the movie is
British and that is set in the 80’s. These such videos connote
strength, independence and everything that suggest being British
this is important to represent what the film stands for (the
skinhead movement.)
4. Appearance
• The appearance of the film opening shows how contrasting Britain
can be. This could connote how the film shows to contrasting types
of people. This is the case in the film it shows 20 year old skinheads
make friends with a 12 year old boy. The appearance of the opening
scene changes drastically with each picture for example the picture
after the IRA holding the union jack is a video clip of riots which isn’t
seen as particularly British. In many of the video clips the mise en
scene of the characters clothes are contrasting for example Margret
Thatcher is wearing a blue jacket with a golden broche this contrasts
to soldiers wearing their army wear. This is done by Shane Meadows
to foreshadow how the rest of the film will be portrayed however
the film is only portrayed in one perspective.
5. Tools
• The mise en scene for this opening scene is what you connote
patriotism for example things like flags; the prime minister and
Buckingham and the queen. This is done by Shane Meadows to
connote how the film is going to symbolise being British but also
symbolise how to be proud to be British. An example in the film to
represent patriotism is when the young boy threatens an Indian
shop owner with a knife, this signifies patriotism in very racist way
but was scene acceptable at the time. The camera angles used in
this particular shot is a medium shot to show off the union jack.
6. Miscellaneous
• Some of the shots that are cut using a jump cut have been edited
to be black and white this is to denote how the shot is flashback
from the current time that the film is set. Also the lighting
changes from shot to shot to signify how the film may change
from shot to shot. The diegetic soundtrack for the opening scene
is a SKA song 54-46 was my number this is also important in
setting the scene because in the subculture skinheads SKA was a
big part, you know that is diegetic because jump cut shows the
young boy listening to it .
