Codes & Conventions of Fictional Films

This is England
This is England was written and directed by Shane Meadows, released in 2006 it provides
social commentary, and falls under the British social realism genre.
The story of This is England takes
place in 1983, following Argentina’s
surrender in the Falkland’s War a
young Shaun must come to terms
with his father’s death, in a political
climate he doesn’t understand.
With no friends of note, he finds
refuge and safety in the arms of a
group of skinheads, lead by Woody,
giving him the capacity to heal.
This film follows a linear narrative, taking us on Shaun’s journey chronologically through the
story. I feel like this was used because it can represent change or progression, it gives us a
clear outline of how these characters get from one point to the next, without being bogged
down with flashbacks or a non-linear structure.
Social realism films do not conform to mainstream cinema, in the case that it may not end
happily. Non sequitur openings are very common in British social realism, Trainspotting for
example starts with an out of context police foot chase, with the main character doing
something daring and weird, accompanied with a catchy track.
The films bookends are also related to the Falkland’s War, showing the war at its height at
the start, and the war finishing with troops coming home at the end. The film does begin
with a non sequitur, the Falkland’s War being
the pull in for audiences at the very start, a
subject that isn’t addressed until later in the
film. I feel like this is used to both tell the
audience when the film is set, but to also
refamiliarise viewers with historic events,
making the film more nuanced and relatable.
The ending is very interesting, showing Shaun
throw away the Saint George’s Cross that
combo gave to him, seemingly symbolising
that Shaun is renouncing his previous life,
although very brief. For me it is a visual way of showing Shaun moving on, rather than him
just flat out saying through exposition that he isn’t a skin head anymore. The ending could
also be given a race and nationality angle, showing Shaun not really judging based on
heritage. I feel this film does conform to the typical opening and ending in social realism
films, hooking you in with catchy music and an edgy subject, finally leaving you with
unanswered questions.
Skinheads are the driving force for this story, the line between a free spirit and a bigot. The
characters presented are a vessel for what people were like at the time, a representation of
how people thought and their opinions on subject matters. Woody, Milky and Lol were all
about friendship and chilling out, listening to reggae. While Combo and his followers were
about racism and their freedom of speech, using their bigotry as a platform offend and
abuse those not deemed to be ‘white English’. I feel they do conform to conventional
characters of this genre because they represent a real time in British history, offering an
insight otherwise not available to those born after 1983.
When it comes to the characters and their roles, we can apply Propp’s theory that states in
almost every story a character has a part to play. The hero being Woody, someone who
takes it upon himself to help the person
in need, in this case it is Shaun. The
villain and false hero fall under the
same character, Combo, someone who
presents themselves as helpful and
caring but ultimately does things for his
own gain. The dispatcher would be
Shaun’s mother, someone who urges to
points Shaun the right direction, who
also helps the hero on his quest. Lol
would be the donor, someone who
offers Shaun something, in this case it’s
a new way of life, cutting his hair and buying him clothes. The clear helper in this story is
Milky, someone their to assist the hero on the journey, someone who helps Shaun comes to
terms with his father’s death.
Todorov’s narrative theory talks about how most films have a clear structure, Equilibrium,
Disruption, Resolution, restored order and New Equilibrium. The Equilibrium in this film is
that Shaun goes to school and gets bullied, he is coming to terms with his father’s death.
There can be two points of disruption in this film, first when Shaun meets Woody, sparking
his new life with the skinheads, and when Combo is out of prison, kickstarting the new wave
of racism. I would say the Resolution is when Shaun gives up the skinheads, making a
conscious decision to put himself above the concerns of others. The Restored Order would
be Shaun coming to terms with his father’s death, understanding the war and trying to
move on with his life. For the most part, there isn’t a New Equilibrium, a large portion of the
story is left unanswered with many of the characters whereabouts not accounted for, the
only real ending being Shaun throwing the England flag away.
Visually this film does a very good job of establishing the period in which it is set, early 80s
cars, clothes and music on full show. Music is very big part of this film, high-base reggae and
even some airy synth are played to signify the characters interests without them saying it on
screen. The clothing shows a clear divide in lifestyles, we see skinheads in suspenders and
Doc Martens, while later in the film we see
young Muslim boys wearing Thawbs, on
the very same streets. In Shaun’s initial
introduction to Woody’s group, a few of
the boys take the mick out of him for his
flared trousers, something at the time that
was out of fashion or considered cheap.
Green Street is an example of characters being defined by clothing, with all the football
hooligans wearing furry hood parkas and Stone Island jumpers, while the journalist wears
quite reserved and mundane clothing as to not stand out.
I would say smoking and drinking conform to British social realism, something seen in this
film as well as Trainspotting and Green Street. Taking something raw but very everyday
makes it more relatable, and helps the audience make a connection with the characters.
Council estates play a large part of this story, walking in a and out of backstreets, washing
hanging on lines with people hanging out of windows smoking. While some of these may be
deemed stereotypes, they were accurate for the time, and can be applied to today’s living
situations. School culture is also
an important aspect,
showcasing Shaun’s daily life
and his transition from school
boy to skinhead. The way in
which he is treated at school by
the bully Harvey helps paint
Shaun as vulnerable and the
victim, it also gives Woody the
platform to help Shaun when
he needs it most. The corner shop gives the film a community feel, accompanied with the
school and the council estate. The fact that the shop is on Shaun route home from school
indicates to me the director pulled from his real-life experiences, growing up in similar
circumstances.
Perspective is a key aspect to this film, showing us different view points from people who
choose to take other paths. Close-ups are used to convey a character’s feeling, or even a
character’s opinion on what someone else is talking about. An example of this is when
Combo is addressing the entire group about immigrants, many of the cut away shots from
Combo are of the other boys,
responding in very unnatural
and uncomfortable ways,
looking down or away from
Combo. Long shots are also
used, especially when Shaun
is on his own and feeling
lonely, maybe walking
through his estate or even the brief moments on the beach. High angle shots are used when
Shaun is confronted with a problem, whether its confrontation with Gadget or even when
Combo is talking about his father. These types of shots are also used in the scenes with
Smell, showing him constantly having to look up at her when they talk. The camera
movements are often very slow and lumbering, as if we the audience are a character in the
scene, walking and staggering around like an uninspired teenager would. Hand-held camera
work becomes even more shaky in the most tense and atmospheric moments, when Gadget
first appears and threatens Shaun, to when Combo assaults Milky at the end of the film.
Shots and angles like these are used a lot in the social realism genre, unsteady camera
movement to give it an amateur and low budget feel. This impacts the audience in many
ways, making them feel closer to the characters, or even the opposite, feeling a distain for
how characters conduct themselves. Narrative wise it helps make the story more intimate,
something more relatable to the audience.
The lighting is often dim and diluted to make sure you focus on the scene, focus on the
characters and what they are saying, as opposed to the surroundings. Often natural light it
casts realistic shadows and profiles, whether on their face or in the background, again giving
it a more practical feel to it. The outside natural light, accompanied with the gloomy British
sky/weather, sets a certain tone and presents a very atmospheric environment. When
Shaun is at the beach, usually a popular holiday destination, it is very sombre and dreary,
reinforcing the setting of the tone. As in many dramas, social realism especially, the weather
is used to convey the feelings and mindset of the subject character, often Shaun. The sun
shines when he first joins Woody, when he gets his new look, and when he roams the
streets with his new crew. When things begin to go wrong, the sun disappears, leaving a
grey overhang, seeming like it is following Shaun around everywhere he goes.
The diegetic sound can be the dialogue, the conversations between these characters, and
the ultimate separation of friends, for the most part. Police sirens echo in the back of some
long shots, reminding the audience that this is a realistic portrayal of everyday life, the life
of living in the inner city and on a low-income council estate. The buzzing of electricals and
ticking of clocks is used to at atmosphere and tension to a scene, notably in the scene where
Combo questions Milky about his heritage, asking him whether he considers himself English
or Jamaican.
The non-diegetic sound and score is very good at establishing mood and tone, often piano
or violin based to give it a raw and authentic feel. The score is often only heard in the long
shots, or when is on his own. The reggae and ska style music are the corner stone for
Woody’s group, the thing that brings them together and keeps them there.