Analysis of Camera and Editing in "Ill Manors"

How is the camera used in "Ill Manors"?

This camera shot from a high angle, emphasises a really relaxed response from this character to being put in prison. As we can see he has a relaxed body language and expression on his face connoting that he is not affected by being put in prison and that perhaps is something that has happened before or something that is to be expected in his line of work. This gives the audience a bad impression on this character, as they would view him to be someone on the outskirts of society and have quite a rough background. This presents the characters of this film to be of a low class therefore resorting to drug dealing and taking drugs themselves. 

This camera shot allows the audience to see a knocked over tablet bottle, drugs on the table and the phone which has contacts of many of the drug dealers that are introduced to us through the film. It is effective as it allows the audience to see what is in the foreground of the shot, the phone and tablets, but the items in the background are blurred. This enables the audience's attention to be drawn to these items thus emphasising the storyline of drug dealing.

This two shot shows the dominance of the character Kirby as he has the majority of the screen, and the other character can only be seen on the left hand side of the screen briefly. This connotes his authority over the other character, as he works for Kirby, perhaps through a bigger reputation or age, meaning he has been in the business of drug dealing longer. 


This wide shot shows us Kirby leaving prison. It is effective as it shows no one in the background, or anything to distract the audience allowing all focus to be on him. This represents him as an important character in the film, but also someone with quite a big ego, with a well-known reputation. The way he is dressed differs to images seen of him before, we see that drug dealing has made him quite well-off as his clothes seem nicer than characters we have seen before.

This camera shot is effective in the way it has been angled as we see two characters clearly meeting in a dark alley-way at night by some rubbish bins. This connotes the area to be quite rough as in the background of shots filmed in the same locations we see a gang which tells the audience this is an area that people meet and hang around on the streets. The shot showing the gang in the background is in focus but the foreground is blurred allowing the audience to see what the director wants us too, and come to the conclusion of a rough area where people hang about on the streets.

This low angle shot allows the audience to see blocks of flats which allows us to establish location. Flats are a common place for setting of British Social Realism films so this allows us to see the typical living situation of the working class people. Perhaps a low angle is used to connote a low social class as it is not presented in the best way.


This camera shot is effective as it is angled in a way where we can see many members of a gang. They are made to look quite dominant and powerful in this shot connoting that they may cause fear amongst others. They are also all wearing tracksuits and snap-backs, which is in fashion amongst young people, so represent young people in a bad way. This also connotes them to be identified as a group of people, meaning this is how gangs of young people are recognised.

How is the editing used in "Ill Manors"?

Parallel Editing is used in this film to move forward in time and allows us to see different character's stories being told at the same time. We start off with Ed and Aaron's story, then Kirby's, cut back to Ed and Aaron and then on to the gang of younger characters. This is effective as it keeps a fast pace for the opening of the film, gaining interest from the audience. It also shows how drug dealing is affecting all aged characters and the younger characters upbringing is being tainted. This establishes a theme of corruption of youth. It also represents this area in a bad way, as it assumes that there are many drug deals happening and connections between drug dealers going on all at the same time, making the area look rough.  

 

Time-lapses are also used at the very beginning of the film which is effective as it briefly introduces us to the characters, all of which are being presented as quite rough and constantly handling things secretively. For example, the phones when they ring occasionally show code names, "Liability" being one. This shows how they handle business. The sped up shots allow the audience to be introduced to the themes of drug dealing in the film, this theme is established through scenes of Kirby injecting a girl. We also see locations, which have been mostly filmed at night, showing the night life of the area, drug dealers and prostitutes which has been made clear in the lyrics of the opening song. We see images of girls being picked up and dropped off on different corners of streets. This represents the characters as being desperate for money and also to be the bottom of the social class ranking, resorting to illegal acts to make a living. This shows a rough area and the rough upbringing some of these characters have. For example, Chris resorted to drug dealing through Kirby after his mum died due to an overdose on heroin as her and Kirby were in a relationship, so he was constantly around a drug environment and if he wasn't it probably wouldn't be what he is doing as a job now. It also allows the film to move forward in time swiftly and easily, only showing scenes that are relevant to the storyline. 

Continuity Editing is used in the film especially in a scene where Aaron is talking to his social worker. We see over the shoulder shots, shot-reverse shots, two shots all keeping to the 180-degree rule. This makes the conversation easier to follow for the audience, and the cuts are invisible making the final edit as realistic as possible. This is common in British Social Realism films as every character is in the same position and remains on one side of the screen making the scenes flow much better.