Chosen text: Human Traffic (1999) Justin Kerrigan
In a still image from scene 22, two of the main protagonist, Jip and Lulu, are pitched as the focal point for the shot. They are placed in the centre of the frame sat down in a nightclub through a MLS at a flat angle. This allows the spectator to view their surrounding possibly highlighting the significance they hold for the characters. A deep focus is used to stress this point further. The flat camera angle suggests the characters are on some euphoric wavelength, and hold a level of understanding with each other. Kerrigan is attempting to demonstrate these people feel comfortable with each other. Maybe the fact they are sat on a large sofa accentuates this idea.
The MLS also allows Kerrigan to build the composition of the frame. He is demonstrating intimacy of Jip and Lulu in this shot, conventionally a CU would be an appropriate choice for this. Yet because Kerrigan can place extras posing as other clubbers within the frame he is able to achieve the effect of intimacy more than a CU would. The extras are placed either side of Jip and Lulu almost framing the two. Also they all have their backs facing the two alienating them from the rest of the group. This also suggests a private moment is occurring, which is important as Jip is discussing a sensitive personal subject. The position of the other clubbers also draws the spectator in to the conversation as we are the only ones facing them. This implicates the audience and gives them a shared position with Lulu as a listener. The technique of including the audience in this way is used extensively by Kerrigan. The spectator becomes one of the characters friends, allowing a great amount of relation and empathy, a main attraction of the film in my opinion.
The image is dimly lit around Jip and Lulu with lighting focused around the two. This emulates them, and determines the audiences focus. The fact that they are ‘lit up’ possibly comments on the loving feeling that develops between them later in the narrative. Also the contrast of light and dark could suggest a distortion in the minds of the partygoers. This idea is also developed through the contrast of color within the frame. The clothing of the characters is bright as are the objects placed on the wall, yet the wall itself is a dark black adding to this idea of an imbalance. This is also suggesting that the characters feeling of togetherness is merely an illusion created by the drugs they are taking.
The two main characters themselves are placed very close together, legs overlapping and hands touching. This acts as a prolepsis and gives clues to the relationship blossoms later in the narrative. It highlights Kerrigan’s ongoing theme of friendship and closeness. They are both smiling whilst looking at each other. The scenes within the club are made to represent happiness. The spectator is shown the characters to be at their happiest whilst within the club. The fact Jip and Lulu are placed so close together and smiling, perfectly depicts two friends at the peak of their weekend and emulates the happiness they are experiencing.
I believe this film to have a specific target audience. Elements within the frame depict this. Kerrigan’s amount of relation and spectator involvement in the text means the audience must be able understand what these characters experience in a specific environment. For example the music they listen to and the social activities they partake in. The way the extras are dressed in this shot, make a hint towards the rave culture that developed in the 90’s, as does colorful surroundings of the set. This sets the scene for the spectator, especially those familiar with the rave scene. This also creates a connection with target audience allowing Kerrigan to keep their full attention throughout.
Kerrigan changes the mood of the film as the party comes to a close, and the euphoria created by the drugs wears thin. There is a shift in theme from togetherness to alienation. I believe by highlighting these two sides of drug use Kerrigan removes bias from his portrayal of drug use. Neither is he celebrating their use nor condemning drug use. I believe this adds to the verisimilitude of the text and makes it seem more realistic to the audience. He shows both the ‘high’ and ‘low’ points in the group’s weekend creating a fair and true to life depiction of how people are affected by drugs. By making the film more believable the relationships built with the audience becomes stronger.
In a moving sequence later in the text Kerrigan turns to demonstrate another key theme, Alienation. As the party dissolves the group head home, and the feeling of togetherness has been stripped from the film especially for Danny Dyer’s character Moff. The group is shown sat back at the flat, yet Moff is shown to be seated alone whilst the other characters are situated together on the sofa. There is little camera movement in the sequence possibly highlighting Moff’s one track mind and inability to understand what is being said by the other characters. Moff is shown through a high angle MCU followed by a high angle CU. The audience is therefore looking down upon him, making him seem weak and vulnerable. It also places Moff below others suggesting he has some form of challenge to overcome.
The other characters are shown through Moff’s P.O.V at a flat angle which differentiates them from Moff, highlighting his alienation. The P.O.V shot becomes a major factor as the focus for this sequence is Moff’s bewilderment and confused mind state, caused from excessive drug taking. Kerrigan is possibly highlighting the dangers of drug use here. The P.O.V allows the audience to see the estrangement that drug users face and perhaps creates sympathy for Moff. His facial expressions and body language also suggest this. He looks withdrawn and defensive wearing a large coat indoors that is zipped all the way up signifying he is out of place. His facial expressions accentuate the isolation he is facing. They change from laughing to try and fit in with the conversation, to worried and paranoid expressions when he faces the realization he can’t understand what his friends are saying. The conversation is inaccessible to Moff portraying his separation from his friends only further. He is again singled out through the fact he is the only character to be shown alone within a frame during this sequence. The laughter of the other characters heightens Moff’s feeling of isolation. Every other character is laughing except him; it is almost as if he is exempt from the joke and therefore the group.
The audience is further implicated through Moff’s bewilderment towards the dialogue. The speech is rapid, broken and distorted as if we can hear what Moff can. Kerrigan is showing the dialogue through Moff’s point of view. This again directly implicates the audience which allows us to feel separated as the character does. Kerrigan places the spectator in this position as it gives us the best idea of his situation and creates empathy towards the character. Relationships built earlier through the text using similar techniques have created unison with this particular group of friends. Kerrigan is able to maximize empathy by using Moff’s perspective at this specific point of the film as we already feel warmed to him.
The editing heightens the uneven distorted outlook the sequence has been given through the point of view. The editing uses straight cuts at a rapid pace which co-insides with the dialogue. This shows the mental state of the character in question reflecting his thought process. Through the editing and dialogue Kerrigan has created a twisted sequence which demonstrates Moff’s mental instability. As the dialogue begins to fade Moff looks towards the camera, as if he is looking for help furthering the empathy for the character. Kerrigan also uses this to cue a dream sequence, as a character looking straight into the camera breaks the realistic feel of a film. This takes the sequence to a more formalistic realm.
The dream sequence places Moff on a floating Sofa in outer space. His location alone signifies his feeling of isolation. Moff is hunched into one corner of the sofa creating a defensive position for him again. This suggests he feels threatened, highlighting his paranoia and lack of trust towards his friends. His position and body language whilst in the living room, is similar to that whilst floating outer space, adding to this idea. It also highlights his mind state to be far from the real world. The voice he hears during the dream sequence continues this suggestion. Moff identifies the voice as ‘reality’ and we are shown a P.O.V from his perspective which shows LS of the planet earth. This also creates some much needed light relief for the spectator through Moff saying ‘reality is that you?’ This is important as film is primarily a comedy yet the tone has shifted so greatly since the party had fizzled out. The LS of the earth is first shown in distorted focus and slowly becomes clearer. This signifies the slow movement of Moff’s thoughts and his clouded vision of the world created by the lifestyle he chooses to lead. Again Kerrigan places the spectator to take up Moff’s position; as he focuses on something the camera also does the same adding to the empathy we feel toward him.
Toward the end of the sequence Moff’s movements become twitchy and unnatural as he faces up to reality. He is seen clutching his hands together and begs the question ‘what is happening to me?’ The audience’s empathetic involvement increases during these moments. We begin to see a hope for Moff after he is told to ‘knock the drugs on the head’ his expression is one of worry and thought creating a sense of hope for Moff. The camera shows him through a low angle shot this time giving him a sense of empowerment and clarity. Kerrigan uses a CU as this best demonstrate Dyers expression. The audience finally sees Moff facing up to reality and this provides a form of closure for his character.
Kerrigan gives an ongoing social commentary throughout the narrative. The idea of social paranoia between friendships groups is a major theme within the moving sequence. Moff feels vulnerable yet he is unable to express his feeling to his closest friends. This creates more verisimilitude as this situation is one faced by many people within our society every day. Kerrigan is possibly highlighting this as a problem within our society and begging the question why are people unable to develop an understanding and feeling of togetherness. The idea of togetherness is clearly apparent during the single frame, during the drug induced ‘high’ period of the film, yet why are drugs needed as a catalyst to create this feeling? Kerrigan suggests society desires a need of complete togetherness yet this is only achieved through ‘temporary moments of enlightenment’ (Jip, Human Traffic).
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