Disability is presented as a negative thing, in the work
place, in his home streets and at the recruitment office. The main character
faces obstacles because of his disability and how people treat him differently
because of it. Throughout the clip we see how and why specific scenes were shot
in the way they are, and to look at how editing, sound, camera and
mise-en-scene can help emphasise a point of a scene.
Throughout the clip mise-en-scene is used to create a feeling
that the main character is trapped, this is enforced at the beginning by seeing
his blurred silhouette behind bars of wired fencing, in this scene the blurring
which is an edited effect also shows that the character is becoming a nobody
who doesn’t stand out, just slowly fading into the background because of his
disability. The trapped feeling is reinforced in the recruitment office where
shadows from the blinds produce the effects of bars across the characters face.
The character is portrayed as trapped because he is stuck with his disability
for life which prevents people from treating him properly and seeing him as a
proper person again.
The way people treat the main character throughout the clip
is portrayed through awkward situations, like when he visits his old workplace
hoping for his job back, after his old work mates telling him they’ve just had
a new contract signed and doing really well they claim that there’s no work
there for him and try blaming immigrants for taking the jobs. The conversation
gives an awkward feeling with lots of silences where the work mates don’t know what
to say or how to behave and try to avoid looking at the main characters face.
Then in the street
when the character approaches his friend and frightens her, she keeps ‘digging’ to try and get out
of the situation while sub-consciously making it a lot worse and making it
awkward. We are shown a lot of awkwardness between other characters and the
main character because awkwardness is often associated with the company of a
disabled person as people don’t know how to behave around them but try and be
overly nice at the same time.
A long-shot is used up the street to establish the setting
and for the viewers to be able to see the character is approaching the woman, this
is followed by a close shot when the woman is frightened from the quick appearance
of the main character. He believes it’s because of his disability and walks
away while she follows him, during this scene steadi-cam is used to follow the
movement, creating agitation by using the same fast paced, un-smooth movement
of the main character who is upset that he scared his friend and annoyed from
her ‘digging’.
During the high street scene there’s sound used to create a
pacey atmosphere, the music resembling the sound of a drum beat and marching,
similar to an army sound. It’s a non-diegetic sound which is used to give a
chaotic feeling. During this scene there is lots of jump-cuts showing different
people’s expressions as the main character walks past them down the busy
street. It’s clear from his fast movement and face that he’s uncomfortable with
everyone staring at him because of his disability, this then leads to anger for
when he enters into the recruitment office.
During the recruitment office scene there is the
mise-en-scene of bars to suggest the character is trapped, and a heated
conversation, this is the only conversation which doesn’t appear as awkward,
because the recruiter is clearly used to seeing war veterans and the scars from
injuries which they have, he doesn’t talk to the character as if he’s a
different or incapable man. The office is strangely organized for an army
recruitment office, the recruiter has a perfectly organized desk with a picture
of his family by his keyboard. Around the room there are pictures related to
the army, and a plant which is there to bring a bit more life and exoticness to
the ordered office. The men in the background are all trying to appear occupied
by reading through things, trying not to be nosey, although you can see them
having the occasional look. The four men sat on chairs to the right side also
appear to be ‘behind bars’ because of the mise-en-scene, suggesting that these
lads are now also trapped into having the same future and similar disability to
the main character.
Over all we can see that because of his disability people treat him differently, they feel awkward talking to him or simply being around him. Also people find it difficult to give a job to a disabled person, feeling that they wouldn't be as capable as a 'normal' person.
