About a Girl by Maria Beardall

About a Girl

Age:

 

In the first moments into About a Girl, we see the title come up in the font of a text message, and also appears on the screen as though it is being texted onto the screen – this is a clear indication of the theme of the video is youthfulness as texting is a connotation of teenagers and activities they do. Also the positioning is central to the framing of the title sequence which could connote the main character is young to the audience.

 

Another factor that regards the girl as young and in her teen years is her clothes and speech. She wears a puffy jacket, trousers, a hair band and earrings, which back in 2001 were very typical things for young people to wear and shows that as a teenager she is very interested in her appearance as she wears jewellery and wants to look nice – again another typical activity for teenagers to do, which cultural reference would be noted by the audience. She also partakes in the activity of singing and dancing to teen icon Britney Spears, which is heard her singing throughout the whole of film.

 

A very obvious aspect is the editing and camerawork, which looks very choppy and uses jump cuts deliberately to reflect the characters youthful mind, which is spontaneous, erratic and works very fast as she changes topic very quickly when she speaks. The director Brian said this technique was used to disorientate the audience and show that teenagers are very energetic and constantly on the go. When the cuts happen the background also changes to emphasise this factor as confusion is created for the audience.

Another age defying factor is the mid shot of her outside the pub, this shot is very specific in that in can be inferred she isn’t old enough to sit inside, therefore has been left alone outside and neglected purely down to her age. This shows that she is very young and that the pub environment isn’t appropriate for her which can clearly show the audience she is definitely young. It makes her seem very singular and different to the audience in a world full of adults.

Class:

 

The first sign of a low class in About a Girl is the mise en scene, which has been filmed in poorer areas such as a low method of transport such as a bus and also a greasy café, which connotes that the family have a low income and can’t afford cars or to go to restaurants, and also means the audience can infer that as they are seen in rougher and cheaper places, they can’t afford very much and tells the audience their financial situation and therefore their place in hierarchy of class.

 

Another sign of a lower class is also in mise en scene, which is the council flat area which is very typically seen as a low income family area, which would be connoted to the audience. They live in a ‘shoebox’ area where the flats and houses are very compact and small, which would be connoted as poor and living below the poverty line. There are also signs that the area is rough and they can’t afford to live somewhere of a higher standard as there is graffiti and litter on the floor, which would tell the audience as the area isn’t as nice it shows they don’t have money to afford somewhere of a higher class.

Another factor that signifies the family don’t have money is that the mum is seen holding a scratch card – a typical activity seen done by low income families as they don’t have money yet spend money on things that relieve stress momentarily in them such as cigarettes or alcohol, and the mum can be seen as hopeful and also desperate as she tries to win money when others can tell it’s not healthy, which can be pointed out to the audience in a DOF shot.

 

Another point of the film that shows that the girl and family’s class is low is the flashback where she is seen looking and testing perfume and is questioned for her actions and replies with ‘my mum is blind’, this shows the audience she is quick thinking and street smart; which infers she is of a lower class as her leisure activities are just by roaming around town with no actual place to go and also that she can’t afford to pay for perfume, which is seen as a luxury to her to the audience.