Echo
Representation
Caroline
she is represented at the start as a school girl who's dad has been in a bike accident, portraying her as a character the audience sympathies with at first. However, we find out later that she is lying, even though this causes some miss trust between the audience and the character, her character is still reflected as a character that the audience feel bad for, as she is stuck in a loop because of her past trauma. Her character development is very rapid and the feelings towards her character shifts very fast. Her faking the accident puts her in the spot light and allows her to gain sympathy from others, which is contrast by how she is treated by her family. Her character reflects the impact that trauma has on a person, which is why her character is seen to be sympathised with by the audience.
Caroline's brother (Ollie)
He is represented at the start as having a good relationship with his mother, which builds the question for the audience about the mother's relationship with Caroline. His character also realises the bad relationship between the mom and daughter as he is seen teasing her by trying to get her in trouble. Even though his character is in the spotlight in the mothers eyes, he isn't a main centre of attention in this film, which makes me think about how much has the trauma impacted him, as losing an important person is already really traumatizing, plus being surrounded with negativity from two family members constantly fighting must have a lot of impact on a young character like him. For example, the scene where he finds Caroline conning a stranger, why was he out of school?
Her character is represented as a widow, who doesn't have a great relationship with her daughter. Her character reflects an emotion that makes the audience feel like she is also traumatized by the lost and is struggling as well.
Narrative
3 act structure
Sound
The film starts with a fade sound of people talking and a phone ringer going off that increasingly gets louder as Caroline walks closer to the screen, this informs the audience that she is the protagonist and aligns her with the audience. we hear her conversation on the phone, but we only here her side of the conversation. However, from her shaking voice and her facial expressions, it indicates that the call has upset her. During the call, we hear a non diegetic clock sound, creating a tense atmosphere.
Silence in the cab is used to contrast the overwhelming conversation and noise. The silent gives the audience a gap to breath and to process what is going on. Caroline's slow heavy breathing reflects her nerves from accomplishing a con act. In this film silence is used to reflect Caroline's reality, and how she feels alone. Silence is often used with a faint background sound, which can mirror how Caroline feels like she is swallowed into the background of society as she doesn't feel like she has anyone looking out or sympathizing for her. Another way that sound portrays Caroline's reality is reflected through people's tones of voice when speaking to her, for example, her mother's tone of voice when speaking to Caroline is harsh and blunt, whereas when strangers talk to her because of her con act, their voices are softer and are more filled with warmth and concern. By showing the two different tones, we see what Caroline deprives in her life, which is warmth and sympathy, which she might have used to receive from her dad, but as he has passed away, she is more vulnerable than ever and eager it from strangers instead
Performance
The performance in this film is ironic because the character Caroline is also acting in parts of the film to gain sympathy as well. So it is like we have two characters for Caroline, the first is the one who is seen crying and gaining sympathy from strangers, and the other is the one who seems lost and isolated from society and reality. Each time Caroline answers the phone, her acting is very convincing and easy to fall for. The way she answers her phone, with a lower toned voice at the start which increases in a period of seconds alongside her shocked facial expression and small details like fiddling with her jumper really does portray what a person would act like if they have received bad news through the phone. Caroline's acting increases as the call goes on, as she starts to have heavy breathing, uncontrollable actions such as when she tries to find something in her bag which starts to catch the eye of people walking near her as her voice also gets louder and starts to panic and cry. Her acting doesn't only persuade the people around her but it also persuades the audience as well. However, Caroline's real character is portrayed to be quite quiet and tends to blends into society and perhaps it doesn't seem like she has a strong character or identity, which reflects how she feels isolated and alone, but also mirrors how trauma can affect people. The fact that Caroline's con act is similar every time makes the audience question why would she want to be living in a loop of trauma, which also sets the questions of how badly has the traumatic experience affected her as well, because perhaps reliving her trauma is the only way she receives sympathy and is the only way she feels loved and like her old self again.
Editing
The editing in this film is a handful of longshots, jump cuts and continuity editing. The Long shots are used in specific scenes such as at the start when she performs her first con act, this creates a sense of longing and makes the audience feel tense with what is happening. Another scene that uses this editing technique was when she was sitting in the cab, the longshot was used to portray the time passing in the cab, but also to reflect the tension that has just happened and what the result of the tension is. Continuity editing is also used through out the film for example, the establishing shot at the start of the film, addressing the protagonist to the audience. During significant scenes, for example the last scene where she is performing her con act, there are jump cuts and more cuts than compare to the rest of the film, this reflects how she actually felt on the say she received the news that her dad passed away as she is living in a loop of trauma. The pacing of this scene starts of fast and slows down at the end,, which can mirror how it would feel like in a real life situation as you would feel like time is going fast but slow at the same time, and trauma usually causes memory lost which can be seen in the jump cuts.
Mise en scene
costume
Caroline
Caroline is wearing her school uniform throughout the film. Her costume is made up with an outside jacket, neck tie, a white shirt, black school trousers and a mint zip up hoodie. Her costume indicates context to the audience that she is a student. This makes her seem more vulnerable to the audience.
Ollie
Ollie is also seen wearing his uniform through out the film with his jacket. His uniform also indicates that he is a school student. The blue coloured in his jacket could be used to reflect the cold tones and emotions through out the film.
Mother
She is seen wearing a blazer with a white top. This indicates that she is a busy women, which reflects how much pressure she has as she is a widow and has to suffer with the trauma.
Cinematography
A lot of close ups to Caroline's face, which enhances her emotions. Which can be used to reflect how trauma has impacted her life.
meaning
The film reflected how trauma can effect an individual. the film also creates a loop feeling, which can be used to metaphorically represent the impact of trauma and how it feels to be stuck in the same never ending circle of pain. How individual people cope with trauma differently
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