Kidulthood (2006) is a British Social Realism(BSR) film also known as British Drama. Following the lives of several teenagers in inner West London. Kidult hood was directed by Menhaj Huda and written by Noel Clarke.
Production Design
When analyzing production design used in the film, the first feature that came to mind was the choice of clothing and costumes of characters; the young teenagers wear a lot of sportswear, hoodies and big jackets representing the working class, as they can not afford high end clothing.(screen grab from 49:26) Production design is all that is shown on screen such as clothing, props, setting etc.
The use of clothing is conventional as it is what people normally
expect teenagers of this generation to wear however it also represents the typical London troublemakers and working class teens; council estate teenagers. Hoodies and hats are things
that probably every teenager owns. In this specific screen grab, the use of clothing being; hoodies,big jackets and
hats connote that something suspicious is happening.
Lighting
The lighting used in Kidulthood is mainly low key and all times natural. This is because as it is a British Social Realism, the realism of the film needs to be emphasized through the lighting and keeping it natural ensures this, as it gives the film a real feeling. In terms of artificial lighting there is not much of it used throughout the film, as shown in the screen grabs (1:06:56). Lighting is imperative in showing how a film is represented. The typical lighting in BSR Films is usually gloomy and low key, this enables the film to engage with the audience, as it creates a dark mood and atmosphere throughout the film. In low-key lighting there are
usually a lot of shadows cast upon the characters and objects. The way
characters are represented within a BSR film, or any film in that
matter, depends on the way the lighting around them is shown. If they
are shown in high-key artificial bright lighting for example, then it
would give us the impression that they're happy and that the scene is
joyous, however if its low key lighting, as shown in most BSR films,
then its usually the complete opposite.
Actors
The actors used in Kidluthood range mainly from 15-16 year olds, these are typical teenage school ages. The film shows the realism of Britain, as it focuses on the day to day life of these teenagers and shows the troubles and struggles they face. The film mainly focuses on the protagonist Trife, showing his problems and situations that he faced. Also Trifes ex Alisa is also focused on as she finds out she is pregnant, this itself is a social problem that teenagers may face. Both these characters emphasize and represent the realism this film presents.
Color
The color palette of any film is one of the most important thing a film can us, as the colors may have a deeper meaning in the film, for example it being symbolic. Kidult hood uses many dim colors, which may portray the evil and darkness within the film, and the realism the film suggests. Colors can change the mood of an individual and in general terms the whole atmosphere of a film or scene. For example bright colors such as orange may connote and make people feel really excited and happy however dull colors can make someone feel scared or thrilled. Different color
palettes used in films can show the highs and the low lows of the
characters.
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