Text 1 (00:00 – 04:08)
The main character is ‘Moses’ who is also been shown to be leader of the pack, keeping everyone in check, this text is when the teenage street gang is mugging ‘Sam’ who also lives in the same estate. This is a negative representation of teenagers mugging, roaming the streets at night, hoodies and swearing.
The costume that has been worn by the teenagers are jackets, hoodies, bandana and caps which is a typical stereotype of teenagers nowadays, however in his scene the victim ‘Sam’ is wearing a normal coat, hat and scarf which is worn on adults. The costume which is worn by the teenagers are shown to be what teens would wear in today’s society and how they are represented, this is a typical London outfit which is mostly worn by many others, The use of hoodies, caps and bandanas are worn to hide their identity when ‘committing crimes’ and hide themselves from others.
The lighting throughout the text is low key lighting which is also been used throughout the whole movie, which builds up tension as it creates enigma codes as it attracts the audience’s attention that something is going to happen, and this can be shown after Sam is being mugged where something falls from the sky which is known to be an ‘alien’. Teenagers are shown to be stronger at night as this is when they blend in by the use of their costumes, young teenagers feel like they have more power at night where it is dark and shadowy.
Targeting young audiences, it interests the target audience of this kind of movie as this can be related to many of the teenagers nowadays who are being represented negatively. ‘Pester power’ can be used by the use of teenagers persuading their parents to go and watch this with their group of friends.
The makeup that is being used is natural as they are keeping it to be shown as individuals today. The props that have been used is bikes and knifes, this shows the audience a negative representation of teenagers by the use of the extract as it shows the teen gang robbing a lady on the street.
The setting is placed in a council estate in south London on Guy Fawkes Night which can be shown in the start of the movie when fireworks are being set. This is a typical setting of teenagers as they are shown to be from ‘council estates’. The movie is based at night where all the crime happens which can also be related back to the target audience (males).
The sound being used starts from slow and then gets faster and louder, creates suspense as the music speeds up which starts to build up the tension and engages the audiences. Background sounds are used such as fireworks and cars going past (Non diegetic sound). The Camera shots that are been used is close up and extreme close up which is used to express the actors facial expressions this can be implied by ‘Sam’ who gets scared of the local gang mugging her. Wide shot of her walking to her apartment, and point of view shot when looking at the gang in a line.
Text 2 (72:00 – 78:45)
This is a positive representation of teenagers as this is when the main character ‘Moses’ saves the world by killing the ‘monsters’, this can be shown by the way ‘Moses’ is seen to be a warrior with his swords (Props being used), During the end of the extract ‘Moses’ is taken by the police and because of this the crowd of people chant ‘Moses, Moses’ repeatedly, Moses smiles in the police van and it ends. Implies that not all teenagers are shown to be negatively but in fact every teenager is caring and un-harmful.
The costume in this part is that he takes off his jacket and is wearing only a black vest and his jeans, throughout the whole movie he keeps his cap on, which is a representation of the youth. The use of dark clothes (black clothing) builds up tension. The black colours is associates with power and mystery, the use of black is a mysterious colour which is associated with fear and is usually has a negative connotation which links to the main actors dressing up in black to feel like they have the power to do what they want especially during the night.
Low key lighting is still being used to create suspense and attract the teenagers, low key lighting is been used effectively in dramatic scenes to create a variety of moods, especially to create suspense and mystery within the audience (enigma codes).
The target audience for this sort of movie is young teenagers where this can be related and linked back to the teenagers; this can be shown by the use of the main characters who are also teenagers, who are talking in slang whereas teens nowadays use that type of language e.g. ‘bruv’, watching this by teens themselves will find it hilarious which is eye catching.
No makeup is been used on the teenagers, but the makeup on Sam (the nurse) is shown to be natural as she was coming back from work. Props that are been used is a bag where the alien is placed, sword as well as a firework when blowing up the aliens. This is set in a council estate in south London; however this is set in the apartment at the top where the ‘weed room’ is and Moses apartment.
The sound that is being used is started off slow and then gradually gets faster; the use of the aliens screeching is heard and then goes quiet. During the end the song ‘Richie spice- Youths Dem Cold’ is played, this is a reggae song which is heard by many young teenagers which is why it has been played. Camera shot that has been used is the Over the shoulder shot when Sam is walking out the weed room to Moses flat, gives the audience a feel that they are walking along with her. Close ups of Moses and Sam talking on the phone.
Issues & Debates
Representation & Stereotypes : Representation of teenagers are shown negatively in the start of the movie, this is by the use of Graffiti on the wall, a close up of the main characters names, however after that scene the young teenagers find their victim to mug so they attack the lady who is on her own, this implies that teenagers are stereotyped to be shown as thugs and troublemakers. The ‘weed room’ indicates that teenagers are involved in illegal drugs which is another stereotype of teenagers to be doing this nowadays, however teenagers are represented to be roaming the streets of London and silly times, which can link to the main characters who are roaming the streets at night with their group of friends which can indicate that they are up to no good.
Moral panics Media starts to exaggerate stuff; this is caused by the media to the society as the media usually make the news even more exclusive by making the situation bigger than what it normally is due to the reason to get the audience’s attention (News worthy). The moral panic usually consists of socially unacceptable behaviour which can include the young teenagers looting and rioting in London 2011 which encourages the audience and viewers to stereotype the young teenagers, Teenagers are shown to be fearful, dangerous, because they are wearing hoods etc. and are associated with crime ‘a so-called "hoodie," a stereotype blamed for much of the violence. Attack the block uses many moral panics which targets the audience’s attention and this is by the use of crimes, e.g. The local gang mugging a random person on the road (Sam), another one can consist of the weapons being used e.g. knifes, swords, fireworks, bats etc.
