Skip to main content

The Exam - Overview



The Exam - Premise
Story - A student takes an exam, using the events of the previous week to help him answer the questions in the exam.
Questions 1 - What is the common informal term for members of the Irish Traveller community? (2 marks)
A - Bully at dodgeball calls him pikey.
Question 2 -What is the name of the messenger of God in the religion of Islam?. (1 mark)
A - Discussion with friends (Muhammed) about meaning of names
Question 3 - How long will does the average human remain a virgin for? (6 marks)
A - Recalls 'the talk' with his mother, writes ask Mr Jones
Question 4 -
A -
Final question -






Comedic

Characters:
Protagonist - Bored, un-athletic student, spends most of his time playing video games. Unpopular, has barely any friends. Doesn't care about many things except his k/d on Call of Duty. Flunking school, held behind to take exam.
Antagonist/Enemy of progress - Angry, underpaid teacher. Lazy, doesn't want to work, is annoyed at protagonist for making him stay behind on a Friday after school.
Third party - Second student -  Exact opposite of protagonist in all aspects apart from schoolwork - popular, athletic, and arrogant. Also held back to take exam.
More characters to appear during flashbacks.

Recurring theme - Time?
Location - A school, large hall? - Exam Environment
Props and mis-en-scene - Clock ticking monotone all the way through (except for flashbacks)
Protagonist - Slumped and daydreaming during exam , questions trigger flashbacks over the past week.
Opening shot - Slow zoom in of isolated student in hall filled with empty desks - add tense, creepy music for effect.
Jump-cut to stationary side view of bored student at exam desk, contrasted with light, comedic music. Title also covers most of screen in this shot.

Opening dialogue begins - between angry teacher and bored student - leads to student reading exam question and having first flashback.
Closing shot - Close up/ Extreme close up of Jim smirking, walking away from exam.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Over

Over CCTV footage throughout the film – stationary cameras elevates tension through the film and constantly heightens expectations in each shot of the film. Flashbacks foreshadow what is to come in later in the film – juxtaposition of the past and future, working in tandem. Timeline moves backwards instead of forwards – Keeps audience watching to find out the cause of the events. No non-diegetic sound – all from the cameras in the world of the film. Again adds to tension of the film, lack of soundtrack increases the extended silence in the film. The final scene of the film is the body dropping on the car, and a plane flying overhead, revealing the subject of the film. Personally, the first time I watched it, the body falling on to the car was so sudden it gave me a scare. The minimalistic approach of the film adds quite a sombre tone to the narrative, it makes the death of the man even more sad.
Post a Comment
Read more

Ellington Kid

Setting the scene, establishing shot. Location is central in the frame. Cheap family diner on a high street - working class location?  Two friends - One white, one black, shop chefs middle-eastern - diverse community. Both in centre of frame, sitting either side of table; setting scene up for conversation/dialogue.  Again, centre of frame, most important subject. Lights either side emphasise length of tunnel, emphasise length of pursuit. Slightly low angle shot, makes him look bigger in the frame.  Shot of blood, shows extent of damage done. 'Realisation' moment for audience, shows the damage gang violence can cause.  High angle shot of blood makes it look like it's coming out of a tap; heightens severity of injury.  Point in film where tension peaks - diagetic, non-diagetic sound all heighten, and after this shot flashbacks end, and the rest of the 'Ellington Kid' narrative is left to the audience's imagination.
Post a Comment
Read more