1. Specialist Study Area: Narrative
1.1. Formalism
1.1.1. Chronology and time
1.1.1.1. Ambiguous ending to the narrative
1.1.1.1.1. Audience left to wonder if Milky is ok, what happens to Combo, what happens to Shaun etc
1.1.1.1.2. Opening ending; symbolises real life, as real life is never easily resolved and doesn't often have happy endings
1.1.1.2. Little use of analepsis (flashback) and does in the most part conform to a traditional structure
1.1.1.2.1. The film forms a verisimilitude within which we are presented to be within a world like our own that is battling between two political ideologies that in itself causes conflict across all sectors of society
1.1.2. Voice and Perspective
1.1.2.1. The directors anti-nationalist perspective is evident throughout
1.1.2.1.1. in this case the narrative is told through a particular point of view
1.2. Structuralism
1.2.1. Levi Strauss' Binary Oppositions
1.2.1.1. Dominant Masculine VS Submissive Masculine (Combo VS Woody)
1.2.1.1.1. Old vs New skinhead
1.2.1.2. Positive VS Negative influence on Shaun
1.2.1.2.1. Levi Strauss argued one side of a binary pair is always seen by a particular culture as more valued than the other
1.2.1.3. Symbolic juxtapositions that have a deeper ideological meaning
1.2.1.3.1. They create conflict and drama, entwined with elements of film form
2. Representation
2.1. Masculinity
2.1.1. Woody and Combo are different versions of masculinity
2.1.1.1. Woody is nurturing and kind, and acts more brotherly, he actively avoids combo's brainwashing, yet he doesnt have the morale strength to stand up to combo when he racist towards milky
2.1.1.2. Combo is aggressive
2.1.1.2.1. Adopts an aggressive paternal relationship towards shaun, indoctrinating him with unhealthy male stereotypes like not being able to cry, and uses shauns father as a means to divulge his own ideology onto shaun
2.2. Class
2.2.1. Working class backgrounds presented through mise-en-scene
2.2.1.1. Hand me down clothes (Shaun's flares) - Macguffin for the plot - the trousers drive the plot as he wouldnt have met Woody otherwise
2.2.2. None of the main characters appear to have jobs
2.2.2.1. The only main character we see with a job is Mr Sandhu, which is ironic seeing as he is the only one working for the country
2.3. Shane Meadows as an Auteur
2.3.1. Hand Held camera to create realism
2.3.1.1. Bases his stories off of low income Northern families and repeated his use of the same actors
3. Specialist Study Area: Ideology
3.1. Clear anti-nationalism through presenting combo as a violent bully
3.1.1. Nationalism Vs Socialism, positive and negative influences on shaun
3.2. Anti-War
3.2.1. Disturbing use of archival footage and the direct link between shauns loss of his dad and what happens to shaun as a result
3.3. Anti-Thatcherism
3.3.1. Through the presentation of the rough run down society they live in
3.4. The film exists in a world that replicates our own realistically, suggesting the film makers main purpose is to ask us to question our own beliefs
3.4.1. Evident through the final message in the film as shaun breaks the fourth wall almost as if he is begging us to not make the same mistakes
4. End Sequence
4.1. Cinematography
4.1.1. Long overhead tracking shot emphasises how Shaun is now alone again
4.1.1.1. Close ups of Shaun used to express his actions in disregarding the English flag as if he is disregarding and separating himself from Combo's ideology
4.1.2. Break of the fourth wall at the end symbolises Shauns plea to the spectator to avoid making the same mistakes as he did
4.1.2.1. After combo hits milky the use of close framed shots and handheld camera represents combos lack of control over the sequence which contrasts the other sequences in the film where combo strives for control
4.1.3. Use of lighting in combo's flat plays with the conventions of horror and thriller
4.2. Mise-En-Scene
4.2.1. St Georges Cross tossed into the water
4.2.1.1. demonstrates loss of faith and rejection of nationalist ideals
4.2.1.1.1. Broken boat symbolises Shaun's now 'broken' English Ideals
4.3. Editing
4.3.1. Long cuts of Shaun as he is walking away, along with shots of the flag floating away
4.3.1.1. Represents nationalist influence floating away from him
4.4. Sound
4.4.1. 'Please, Please, Please let me get what I want' by the Smiths is playing
4.4.1.1. Lyrics actually reflect Shaun's journey and how he is manipulated by Combo
5. UPDATED Contexts
5.1. Falklands war
5.1.1. Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister responding to argentinas Juntas aggression towards british territory
5.2. North South Divide
5.2.1. Thatchers closing of coal mines and disrupting northern industry developed the most significant divide ever before seen in england
5.3. Skinhead subculture
5.3.1. Portrays the windrush generation, white and jamaican combined culture
5.3.1.1. Particularily prominent in the north, and while aimed to bring people from different races together, but national front members and racists penetrated the culture
6. Car Drive Sequence
6.1. Cinematography
6.1.1. Grey and dull lighting reflects the atmosphere of oppression in the car
6.1.1.1. We intially see a group shot of everyone in the car, but this changes when Combo becomes enraged and we see close-ups of him and Pukey
6.2. Mise-En-Scene
6.2.1. St Georges flag - symbolic of nationalistic identity
6.2.1.1. The fact that Shaun gave it to Combo presents him as embodying and idolising Combo and his ideologies
6.3. Editing
6.3.1. Initial drive is all in one take which builds tension
6.3.1.1. Cuts begin when Combo becomes enraged - presenting instability in the sequence
6.4. Sound
6.4.1. Diagetic audio only
6.4.1.1. emphasises an uneasy feel about the scene
6.4.1.1.1. Volume of the audio changes (gets louder) when Combo becomes enraged
6.4.1.2. Combo refers to his gang as troops, connecting the sequence to the war on race combined with the use of st georges cross wich, at the time negatively symbolised the nationalist movesments militaristic intentions
6.4.2. Tyre Screech Sting
6.4.2.1. Almost acts as a metaphor for Combos quick changing personality
6.5. Performance
6.5.1. Combo could be considered insecure and instable through his rapid shift in emotion from caring and kind to enraged
6.5.1.1. Combo is manipulative, as Shaun becomes devoted to him he is well aware he is influencing a young mind with his questionable opinions
7. Opening Sequence
7.1. Cinematography
7.1.1. Hand Held camera footage recorded by press/soldiers in the Falklands
7.1.1.1. Set the tone of the film as social realist
7.1.1.1.1. Series of close ups as Shaun enters Mr Sandhu's shop for the first time
7.2. Mise-En-Scene
7.2.1. Soldiers uniforms presenting militant theme in the film
7.2.1.1. Shaun's flare trousers is a source of embarrassment for Shaun, leading to his bullying
7.3. Editing
7.3.1. Montage editing between Falklands war and Dianna's wedding, presents contrasts in society - war and royals
7.3.1.1. Pace of editing increased when Shaun gets into the fight at school
7.3.2. Use of Audio match cuts with the cuts synchronised to the sound during the montage sequence
7.3.2.1. Use of time manipulation, drawing attention to the rise of skinhead culture and introduces the spectator to the social groups represented throughout the narrative
7.4. Sound
7.4.1. Non-diagetic sound as the opening credits roll
7.4.1.1. Sound bridge of Margaret Thatcher on Shaun's radio as he gets up
7.4.2. Fighting sound effects are exaggerated during the fight
7.4.2.1. Perhaps presenting the exaggerated impact of the fight on Shaun's life
7.5. Performance
7.5.1. Falklands war soldiers and the use of genuine footage gives the film an extreme element of realism
8. Mr Sandhu Racial Attack Sequence
8.1. Cinematography
8.1.1. Mid shot of Shaun entering the shop
8.1.1.1. mirrors the first shot of Shaun entering the shop in the opening sequence
8.1.2. Close ups and over the shoulder shots used when combo threatens Mr Sandhu with a machete
8.1.2.1. Symbolises Combo's dominant masculinity
8.2. Mise-En-Scene
8.2.1. Mr Sandhu's knitted jumper, which implies his passivity through clothing, contrasts to the gangs threatening costumes
8.2.1.1. Use of graffitti outside the shop, implies that the gang are quite childish
8.3. Editing
8.3.1. Faced past editing for dramatic effect when combo threatens Mr Sandhu
8.3.1.1. adds to the intensity of the situation
8.3.2. Shot reverse shot between Combo and Mr Sandhu further presents his inability to defend himself
8.4. Sound
8.4.1. Entirely diagetic sequence
8.4.2. Soundbridges between inside and outside the shop - emphasises the importance of the sequences' dialogue
8.5. Performance
8.5.1. Shaun is presented as seeing racism as a fun joke as per the childish behaviour we see as they run away from the store
8.5.1.1. Proves Combo's ideology has influenced Shaun