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Eduqas A Level Film Studies - Paper 1 > Section C - Fish Tank (Arnold, 2009) > Flashcards

Section C - Fish Tank (Arnold, 2009) Flashcards

(48 cards)

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1
Q

Chav

Fish Tank

A

Insult for young person whose clothes, language and behaviour shows their low social class

Mia = chav

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2
Q

Demonisation

Fish Tank

A

Representing something as evil

Many demonise lower class; council estates, etc.

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3
Q

Social class

Fish Tank

A

Division of society based on social/economic status

Class divide heavily emphasised:

Mia’s family = underclass (unemployed)
Connor = lower middle class

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4
Q

Dependency Culture

Fish Tank

A

Lifestyle characterised by dependency on state benefits

Mia’s family = unemployed

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5
Q

Society

Fish Tank

A

People living together in relatively ordered community

2 societies within main society - council estate/housing estate

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6
Q

Binary Oppositions

Fish Tank

A

Pair of related terms that are opposites

Natural vs Industrial: Mia trapped in council estate. Connor takes her to river, nature.

Grey area - horse tethered on industrial estate

Feminine vs Tomboy: Mia challenges stereotypes (androgynous costume, swears, drinks) Keeley/Joanne = feminine, clashes with her

Grey area - what is feminine? Mia puts on her mum’s makeup, told to take her hair down

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7
Q

Verisimilitude

Fish Tank

A

How close media text comes to reality

Fish Tank = lots of verisimilitude, meant to mirror reality

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8
Q

Open ended narrative

Fish Tank

A

Narrative without resolution

Fish Tank = open-ended narrative - leave in car

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9
Q

Feminism

Fish Tank

A

Advocacy of women’s right for equality of the sexes

Fish Tank = feminist film - young woman trying to find her place in the world

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10
Q

Feminine

Fish Tank

A

Having qualities typical of women - delicacy, kindness, etc.

Mia is not very feminine, her mother, Joanne, is

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11
Q

Tomboy

Fish Tank

A

Girl who enjoys ‘rough’ activities associated with boys

Mia = tomboy; rough around the edges, yet likes dancing (feminine)

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12
Q

Stereotypical

Fish Tank

A

Relating to widely held oversimplified idea of a type of thing

Joanne = stereotypically feminine (makeup, etc.)

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13
Q

Counter Typical

Fish Tank

A

Acting against stereotype

Mia acts counter typically of teenage girl - violent/swearing

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14
Q

Broken Britain

Fish Tank

A

Term used by Conservative party and press to describe social decay in the U.K

Mia’s actions/home environment = example of Broken Britain

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15
Q

The Male Gaze

Fish Tank

A

Way media texts objectify women through camera taking perspective of straight man whilst viewing them

Female characters in film subjected to male gaze at some point

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16
Q

Awards won

Fish Tank

A

BAFTA - Best British Film

BIFA - Best Director

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17
Q

CONTEXTS
New Labour

Main policies

A

Government 1997-2010 (Tony Blair, Gordon Brown)
Optimistic after Thatcher -> more caring society

Tried appealing to middle/upper class
Attempted to join socialism & capitalism - emphasis on social justice
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18
Q

CONTEXTS

Why people lost trust in New Labour?

A

During New Labour: Iraq war, financial crisis, 9/11, 7/7, 2007 floods

Blair called puppet of American government

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19
Q 
CONTEXTS 
Name 5 (supposedly interlinked) issues 'Broken Britain' describes
A 
Failing social services -> child neglect (Baby P, Shannon Matthews)
Binge/underage drinking
Teenage pregnancy 
VIP paedophilia scandals
Poor education system
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20
Q

CONTEXTS

What did David Cameron blame 2011 England riots on?

Study These Flashcards
A

“Moral collapse”

Irresponsibility
Selfishness
Behaving like actions have no consequences
Fatherless children
Schools without discipline
Reward without effort
Unpunished crimes
Rights without responsibilities
21
Q

CONTEXTS
Baby P case

Broken Britain

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A

1 year old Peter Connelly died North London, 2007. Opportunities save him from child abuse not taken

Social responsibility: doctors & social services

22
Q

CONTEXTS
Shannon Matthews

Broken Britain

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A

9 year old Shannon Matthews kidnapped by mother, kept drugged under bed in mother’s boyfriend’s uncle’s house - meant -> ‘found’ by uncle, cash in on reward money

Large family dependent on benefits: desperate for money, social services failed them

23
Q

CONTEXTS
Expenses scandal

Broken Britain

Study These Flashcards
A

Expenses = own money you needed to spend for your job

Expenses claims = get that money back

MPs put in ridiculous claims - taxpayer money spent on prostitutes and duck houses

Government can’t be trusted

24
Q

CONTEXTS
2011 UK riots

Broken Britain

Study These Flashcards
A

6th-11th August - innocent man shot dead by police

Riots against government -> police vs people

Spread across country - people vs government (though many just wanted to loot)

Working class against government

25
CONTEXTS Name 2 pieces of evidence that support Broken Britain Fish Tank
Sworn at, has to stay in room whilst mum parties, "what do you think this is, a cafe?" - neglectful mother, no father (Broken family) Connor uses Mia for sex, Mia abuses Kiera - no repercussions for actions
26
CONTEXTS Production contexts Fish Tank
Premiered Cannes Film Festival Funded by Limelight Fund, BBC Films and UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund Shot on location, chronological order: gave Katie Jarvis (Mia) day's worth of script at time -> make sense to her
27
IDEOLOGY | How Mia moves up/down Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs?
Start: Mia = bottom of hierarchy - food, clothes, bed, not much else Spends film trying to reach second level: tries getting job, building relationships with others
28
NARRATIVE Syd Field's 3 Act Model Fish Tank
Act 1: Beginning of film -> Connor uses Mia Act 2: Mia and Connor have 'sex' Act 3: Mia runs away to Wales
29
NARRATIVE Vogler's Hero Model Fish Tank
Ordinary World: Mia trying -> dancer, escape her underclass beginnings Meets someone/given something: Meets Billy (gives her support) & Connor (support, camera for audition) New world: After sex scene, v.annoyed, goes after his daughter Greatest ordeal: Audition - strip club, leaves, makes own path Returns enlightened: Leaves with Billy, open-ended
30
NARRATIVE Todorov's Equilibrium Model Fish Tank
Equilibrium: Mia living with neglectful/abusive mother & little sister Disruption: Connor (as a whole) New Equilibrium: Mia takes charge & runs away
31
NARRATIVE Type of narrative - why? Fish Tank
Linear Realistic; multiple storylines, worlds or flashbacks distract from narrative
32
NARRATIVE Enigma Codes Fish Tank
Mia's flat: where are Mia/Tyler's dad/dads? Never resolved - does Mia know who he is? (Broken Britain) Connor introduced: what is he hiding? Hiding a girlfriend & daughter - absent father (Broken Britain)
33
NARRATIVE Action Codes Fish Tank
Dance audition: Mia walks away from the strip club First good action of the film - she changes her life for the better Keira's kidnapping: Pushes Keira into water, yet saves her. Mia never goes back to Connor - first step to closure Mia's first step to becoming more responsible - SAVES her
34
CINEMATOGRAPHY How back shot of Mia foreshadows? Opening sequence - Fish Tank
Mia looking at city through window - foreshadows her leaving, getting to take on the world Glass = trapped there, like fish in fish tank
35
MISE-EN-SCENE Significance of Mia's costume Fish Tank
Hoody - chav-like, violent gangster associations Androgynous - not particularly masculine or feminine, like Mia Grey - no colour, blends in, bland, depressing: like her situation
36
MISE-EN-SCENE How set design of Mia's flat reflects Mia's life? Fish Tank
Flat & council estate - dodgy area, little money Hammer (weapon) kept in kitchen drawer, easily accessible - violent area, need protecting Tyler watching hours tour on TV - custom-made heart-shape bedhead. Opposite of their lifestyle
37
EDITING How editing pace reflects Mia's emotions when freeing the horse? Fish Tank
Fast pacing - urgency to free the horse Dog barks, boys arrive -> faster, urgency to run
38
CINEMATOGRAPHY | How extreme close ups reflect Mia's situation?
ECUs of flat - how small it is, lack of space Fish struggling to breathe on land - Mia struggling in her life
39
SOUND How diegetic sound creates meaning? Freeing the horse - Fish Tank
Heightens tension Doesn't distract from moment Only natural sound - no city background
40
REPRESENTATIONS How Mia represented as stereotypical chav? Fish Tank
Violent to others - start of film: head butts another girl. Sound effects & bleeding emphasise this Swearing throughout film - "call me back later bitch" on phone Costume - black tank top, grey tracksuit
41
REPRESENTATIONS How Mia represented as counter type to stereotypical chav? Fish Tank
Kind (to extent), caring for horse - tries freeing it twice, smashing chains - goes back after being chased away Ambitious beyond her place in society - keeps trying to become a dancer, even when faced with challenges Saves Keira, even after pushing her - binary oppositions within Mia, more than stereotype
42
REPRESENTATION How feminism is explored through Joanne? Fish Tank
Stereotypical 'woman': Wears makeup Long blonde hair Dresses seductively Very irresponsible - unemployed, depended on Connor
43
REPRESENTATION How feminism is explored through Tyler & Keira? Fish Tank
Both young, small children Kids clothes, messy hair Keira = lower-middle class background, innocent, dressed like princess Tyler = underclass background, not innocent, drinks & smokes
44
REPRESENTATION How feminism is explored through Mia? Fish Tank
Mia = teenage tomboy Counter type to femininity
45
Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory
Camera perspective of heterosexual man - sexually objectifies women: focuses on body using slow-mo, deliberate camera movement & cutaways
46
Traditional gender roles in film
Male = active role, pushing narrative Female = passive, exist for visual pleasure, slow narrative: act as temptation or inspiration
47
REPRESENTATIONS How Mia is subjected to male gaze? Fish Tank
Dancing in pyjamas in kitchen (first meet Connor) - low angle, medium shot. Focuses on her butt Connor puts her to bed - P.O.V shot from Mia, see him taking her joggers off
48
REPRESENTATION How Mia = agent of male gaze? Fish Tank
Filming Connor: medium long shot of his shirtless. See through camera what she sees - zooms in Stares at girl at stripper audition: P.O.V shot from Mia - stripper in middle of shot, centre object

Eduqas A Level Film Studies - Paper 1 (6 decks)

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